Why start fresh in a community
To maximize performance, it is essential to reset the team’s mindset by sharing the long-term goal and, above all, focusing on the daily objective. The groups are made up of different profiles, such as seasoned players, backups, leaders, promising young players, and stars. The goal of this reset is to achieve a collective balance by seeking to motivate and re-motivate each individual mindset.
This can be difficult because each group member’s feelings, beliefs, and goals—shaped by their past or present status—are different. It is important to first build individual confidence and demonstrate that anyone can change their status, so that everyone can envision a future for themselves.
Managing a variety of personalities and egos
To foster a sense of collective confidence, it is essential to instill a belief in the possibility of individual growth by engaging personally with each member of the group to bring out the best in everyone. Qualities must be recognized with fairness and balance, taking personalities into account, without hurting the egos that are part of human nature. The most delicate part is finding the communication tools that encourage each member to question their own beliefs and practices.
Relying on people who embody the group’s values and collective identity can also help bring a group together, but this is a delicate matter depending on each person’s status, ambitions, and sincerity. It is essential that the person be committed to the growth of the organization and the group as a whole before their own personal interests.
A shared commitment: the key to a high-performing team
It is also important to discuss all the different areas, spheres, and criteria that contribute to the success of the collective goal, so that the expectation is broad and not limited to a specific individual or field of activity.
All of this makes me think about the role of a father, which involves making sound decisions without trying to please everyone, but sometimes accepting that you won’t be appreciated—for the good of all. It’s important to realize that answers to the questions, misunderstandings, and frustrations that may arise from the choices and decisions made will only come with time, even if you try to explain them as best you can.
Everyone must focus on their role so that the team can perform effectively. It is important to be fair, open, and honest in order to foster healthy competition within the team. Finally, it is important to make each member feel valued and appreciated so that everyone can perform at their best.
Today, as a mental performance coach with 16 years of professional experience in rugby across nine different clubs and more than 20 years of on-the-ground experience working with teams at all levels, I help elite athletes and professionals in the Paris and Toulon areas build strong team dynamics to achieve sustained success.