Using Tribe365’s 2 laws of human action to deliver performance in a sports team setting

It is clear individuals bring more commitment to a cause the more they believe in it. We see this time and time again. As a high level study you only have to look at the low wages received in Health Care, Policing and Military settings and the at times grueling output to start to see that people will forgo what are considered quite normal and essential conditions in other kinds of work in the name of a true belief. All these professions benefit from simplistic views of what is important in the world – health and safety, right?

Set The Belief

How can chucking a ball around, kicking a ball, hitting a ball, running, competing in sport in any way ever compete with such activities as protecting communities and keeping people healthy? This is where we have to explore a little. Why is sport important?

Now that is a journey

Isn’t sport essential for the healthiest communities?

The fact is I’m not going to explore that too much in myself here. There is little point. The truth is you have to find that answer in yourself; is your sport/sports club important for the community? Why? How? What’s the greatest things that could come from your sport and all activity surrounding it? Why do you love the activity? Why do you love your team? What are the standout behaviors typifying your activity/team? What’s the best things that can be achieved in the next five years? What has to be achieved no matter what every day interacting with the sport/sports club?

When you have finished this initial journey hopefully you’ll have some blood pumping sentiment which may get others on board. Do you? Don’t worry about it too much, it is a work in progress and should be updated as often as needed. I have seen as many as 4 updates over a six month period and it should only be encouraged. Sentiment in us all is a constantly evolving piece and not an exact science. That should only be embraced. Let’s face it if you don’t then all you do is start creating disconnection which is the reverse of what you want to achieve, right?

Promote Autonomy

None of us have all the answers, no matter who you are. The best results we can deliver are only delivered when everyone contributes and uses everything available 100%, right? So how do we make sure everyone is with us and contributing 100%?

Ok the first part if this is making sure people are only involved if they believe, so do you have something to believe in? If not check back into setting the belief in the previous section.

Right, does everyone believe now?

If so great? If not, keep beating the drum and help the sentiment tying everyone together evolve to where it needs to. 

Do I just wait until the sentiment has been set, before working on autonomy?

I wouldn’t

The fact is everyone is autonomous already. All you need to do is recognise it and respect it. People decide to do everything they do. Everything here is about making sure it is for the right reasons and autonomy is managed in the right way. There are 5 areas to work constantly and consistently on to ensure autonomy and belief are in the right space.

Five values maintaining high belief and autonomous teams

You may have a team performing, do you? If so great. Maybe I wouldn’t disrupt anything. I might explore a little and find what keeps them in great spaces but that might be all.

But what does a performing sports team even look like?

• Everyone has high energy, commitment, proactivity about them all the time (Belief)
• Everyone is able to have open honest conversations all the time, there are no surprises (Honesty)
• Everyone supports all structure (training, stats monitoring etc.) and contributes to its evolution (Agile Structure)
• Everyone takes ownership for their own balance. There is open dialogue with everyone as to individual conditions and everyone supports everyone. (Balance)
• Everyone values everyone and everything around them. Everything is appreciated for exactly where it is and everything it presents in opportunity to support forward momentum. Everyone builds forward together utilising everyone and everything. There is zero judgement, bitterness or resentment. (Inclusiveness)

If any one of these areas is off then the likelihood is the blackhole of non-performance is starting to creep in.

What do we do to pull teams around?

In short you address the above areas with individuals or teams as a whole, then start working on creating environments to meet each of the five values essential to maintaining high belief and autonomous environments. Easy right?

Some examples of the typical question pattern we use at Tribe365^® is as follows

• Do you still believe? (Belief)
• Are we doing things the right way? Is the structure working for you? (Agile Structure)
• Do you feel like you are able to be honest? (Honesty)
• Are you able to prioritise yourself? (Balance)
• Does the environment feel progressive? (Inclusiveness)

For a greater understanding of why the questions are as they are and in this order do link to our Tribe365’s 2 laws of Human Action blog

Building environments of high belief and autonomy is essential to deliver maximum performance. We all are configured this way and existing in environments which don’t observe the two laws of human action encounter more disruption on many different levels, resulting in many varieties of poor performance.

In Closing

I used to play a bit of rugby and I always loved the sport. I still do. However until I understood the importance of purpose in sport I was a disruptor rather than a positive constant. 

I used to play with teams, hate the way they trained and only rocked up to play. Every game I gave 110% and loved every second unless anyone around me didn’t play the way I thought was right. Needless to say I was not a great club person or team mate.

When I started understanding the importance of having a belief in the club/sport/activity and what that can do to change commitment and alignment to everyone pulling together I felt the greatest sadness at how many years I had played rugby and loved it and how much more I could have been within the clubs I had the privilege of being involved with. They all gave me so much and I could have given so much more rather than just being a body on the pitch who gave everything when my conditions were right.

It is essential every club and sport takes the learning and crafts visions to align all team members ensuring everyone is pulling in the same direction and the greatest things can be achieved. Sport is so essential to our communities and having sports clubs and sports which understand how to get the most out of everyone will only push society forwards, right?

At Tribe365^® we have all the understanding to help sports and sports teams find collaborative culture and build environments full of belief and autonomy, just reach out for free on team@tribe365.co