On the weekend, my son’s soccer team had one of the best matches of their season. They executed every instruction from their coach perfectly and they worked together seamlessly as a team. They kept in position (not easy for under 10’s!) and they were fearless against an undefeated team who have won by very large margins. Unfortunately, my son’s team didn’t get the win (in case you are wondering, it was 3-1), but the players were far from dejected. They knew they had played an amazing game and were proud of themselves for the way they had played, despite not winning (as were the coach and parents!).

Here are some valuable lessons for your team:

1. Work together on common goals. At the beginning of the match, the coach told them to start strong and they achieved this. The key element though was that none of the players were attempting to be ‘heroes’: when they should have passed the ball, they did. An effective team knows how to work well together and doesn’t try to look for opportunities to outdo each other.
2. Motivate your team. The under 10s soccer team had participated in an intense and exciting training session the night before and they carried this enthusiasm and learned skills into their game. Ensure that each of your team members feels supported, encouraged, equipped for the task and motivated to achieve an outcome. Expecting staff to work their way through tasks without a view of the bigger picture, and therefore no reason to participate fully, almost always results in sub-standard outcomes.
3. Be fearless. Once the soccer match got underway it was obvious that the opposing team’s success revolved around one very skilled player. When my son’s team realised this, achieving success didn’t seem quite so daunting. Remind yourself, and instil in your team, a ‘nothing can stop us’ attitude. And while this does not guarantee success in every circumstance, it certainly creates a mindset more suited to a high achieving team.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender