Are You a Team Player? River Hill Athletic Leadership Seminar 2009

Presentation created using ideas from The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player by John Maxwell Goals of this Seminar: To learn the qualities of a team player To learn how you can embody these qualities to become a true team player

Being flexible, teachable, creative, willing to make changes for the team, willing to take on a different role on the teamBeing flexible, teachable, creative, willing to make changes for the team, willing to take on a different role on the team To become more adaptable:To become more adaptable: –Try to keep learning new things –Reevaluate your role on the team –Think about how things can be done instead of what prevents you from achieving it –Think through scenarios where you might have to adapt, such as: To your teammates playing styleTo your teammates playing style To you teammates moodsTo you teammates moods To the refsTo the refs To field conditionsTo field conditions To your role on the teamTo your role on the team Adaptable

Working together, everyone adding something, not competing with teammates, concentrating on team not self, trusting teammatesWorking together, everyone adding something, not competing with teammates, concentrating on team not self, trusting teammates To become more collaborativeTo become more collaborative –Always ask, “What’s best for the team?” –Get together with someone on the team you view as a competitor and figure out how you can work together to benefit the team –Get together with someone who has strengths in your area of weakness and work together Collaborative

Being determined to see it through, realizing commitment is a choice not an emotionBeing determined to see it through, realizing commitment is a choice not an emotion To become truly committed:To become truly committed: –Make sure the goals of the team and the team itself are truly important to you –Risk giving your best all the time –Realize there is no such thing as a half- hearted champion Committed

Making connections, learning about each other on and off the field, court, etc.Making connections, learning about each other on and off the field, court, etc. How to be more communicative:How to be more communicative: –Make it easier for teammates to get to know you –Follow the 24 hr rule – address any conflict with a teammate with in 24 hrs. –Spend time on especially difficult relationships –Speak truthfully but kindly to teammates –Make an effort to get to know everyone on your team –Tell teammates when they are doing great –Kindly tell them how to improve Communicative

Knowing your sport, your position, fundamental skills, and being committed to excellenceKnowing your sport, your position, fundamental skills, and being committed to excellence How to be more competent:How to be more competent: –Refuse to settle for average –Work hard on the small stuff –Work on performing consistently – physical and mental practice –Pick an area to specialize in –Practice extra on specialty, weak point, or role needed by the team Competent

Making a consistent contribution, doing what you say, being responsible, exercising good judgmentMaking a consistent contribution, doing what you say, being responsible, exercising good judgment How to be more dependable:How to be more dependable: –Check your goals, do they benefit the team or just you –Check with your teammates – do they think you are reliable? –Have a partner that holds you accountable –Try your best to always do what you say you are going to do Dependable

Doing what you don’t want to do, so you can do what you really want to, having disciplined thinking, emotions, and actionsDoing what you don’t want to do, so you can do what you really want to, having disciplined thinking, emotions, and actions How to be more disciplined:How to be more disciplined: –Do something necessary but unpleasant everyday –Take on new challenges –When you get mad, hold your tongue for 5 minutes –Work on remaining calm when you get start to get mad or frustrated –Work on fundamentals everyday –Work out and practice in the off season Disciplined

Adding value to teammates, valuing teammates not criticizing them, valuing what your teammates value, finding ways to help others improveAdding value to teammates, valuing teammates not criticizing them, valuing what your teammates value, finding ways to help others improve How to be more enlarging:How to be more enlarging: –Serve others first –Point out others strengths and help them focus on improving –Believe in others before they believe in you –Make it a point to tell someone on the team something truthfully positive about their abilities everyday Enlarging

CHOOSING to be positive (attitude is a choice), acting enthusiastic even if don’t feel likeCHOOSING to be positive (attitude is a choice), acting enthusiastic even if don’t feel like How to be more enthusiastic:How to be more enthusiastic: –Spend time with others who are enthusiastic –Go the extra mile –Strive for excellence –Keep negative comments to yourself and try to turn your own thinking more positive –Cheer for others when you are on the bench Enthusiastic

Working with purpose, doing the right things every dayWorking with purpose, doing the right things every day How to be more intentional:How to be more intentional: –Write down your goals and team goals and read them every day –Explore your own strengths and weaknesses –Specialize and focus on that –Prioritize what your are working on –Practice every day with the purpose of getting better at something specific Intentional

Keeping the big picture in mind, knowing overall goal, supporting the leader, making team accomplishment the most important, doing whatever necessary to achieve goalsKeeping the big picture in mind, knowing overall goal, supporting the leader, making team accomplishment the most important, doing whatever necessary to achieve goals How to be more mission conscious:How to be more mission conscious: –Find ways to keep the mission in mind – writing it down, talking about it, making a visual reminder –Figure out how you can contribute best to meeting the mission –Try to keep whole team focused on mission Mission Conscious

Being ready mentally and physically, knowing what your are preparing forBeing ready mentally and physically, knowing what your are preparing for How to be more prepared:How to be more prepared: –Thinking about what you will need or need to do –Creating a list –Learning from mistakes –Visualize –Practice, practice, practice Prepared

Caring about people on the team, treating everyone like they are important, respecting others, sharing experiences, trusting teammatesCaring about people on the team, treating everyone like they are important, respecting others, sharing experiences, trusting teammates How to be more relational:How to be more relational: –Focus on others –Ask teammates about their hopes, goals, what makes them happy, sad –Share common experiences, spend time together outside of the sport –Make others feel special Relational

Thinking about how you can improve and applying itThinking about how you can improve and applying it How to be more self-improving:How to be more self-improving: –Become coachable, ask questions –Value improvement over self promotion –Plan how will learn more Self-Improving

Putting others ahead of yourself, being generous, worrying about what benefits the team not yourself, being loyalPutting others ahead of yourself, being generous, worrying about what benefits the team not yourself, being loyal How to be more selfless:How to be more selfless: –Promote someone other than yourself –Practice serving others, let others go first –Give to others without them knowing it –Always be willing to help your teammates even if it takes x-tra effort on your part Selfless

Finding remedies, not faults, taking the attitude that all problems are solvableFinding remedies, not faults, taking the attitude that all problems are solvable How to be more solution-oriented:How to be more solution-oriented: –Refuse to give up when problems arise –Rethink strategy if things aren’t going right –Don’t see things as problems, just setbacks that need to be figured out Solution-Oriented

Sticking with things even when they seem impossible, being determined, giving all you haveSticking with things even when they seem impossible, being determined, giving all you have How to be more tenacious:How to be more tenacious: –Work harder – practice x-tra before or after practice –Never quit Tenacious