The Super Bowl is here and the focus on players and teams is intense. Discussions of all kinds from individual talent to team dynamics and coaching relationships are taking place. Emotional Intelligence (EI) is now part of the discussion in the world of professional sports. EI was significantly highlighted in recent years when the Philadelphia Eagles hired Doug Pederson and owner Jeffrey Lurie said that Pederson had an “open heart” and “emotional intelligence” Lurie went on to say:
“I thought what was really needed was a kind of leadership that leads with a genuineness, a real genuineness, People laughed when I used the term ’emotional intelligence,’ but that’s probably a really good way to describe it.” Via Marcus Hayes “The Doug Pederson hire: Who’s laughing now? January 22, 2018
We all know the result, a Super Bowl victory. Emotional Intelligence wasn’t the only reason the Eagles won the Super Bowl but it impacted an element critical to success and that is team chemistry.
“In any team sport, the best teams have consistency and chemistry.” Roger Staubach
If you search team chemistry the information to create this magical elixir will be overwhelming. Common to all the formulas is capturing the power of emotion. Emotional Intelligence plays an important role in team chemistry and I’d like to offer one way of thinking about it with T.E.A.M.
TRUST: Assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something- Merriam-Webster
“Good Teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the Me for the We.” Phil Jackson
The only way people will be willing to put the “we” before the “me” is if they have built a strong emotional bond with the other members of the team. It begins with the word assured from the definition above which in one word means certainty. Certainty in a relationship takes investment as it requires the removal of doubt. It requires us to open up and let others see who we really are, it means having the courage to be vulnerable. When we operate with transparency regarding our strengths and weakness, own the results of our actions, consistently act in alignment to our words, value the contributions of others and openly communicate that value, trust will begin being built.
Inherent in this process is the creation of Psychological Safety. Amy Edmondson, professor at Harvard Business School states “It’s about giving candid feedback, openly admitting mistakes, and learning from each other.” (Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace, Harvard Business Review, January 22, 2019)
Kate Mullen Wesleyan University, Women’s Basketball Coach echoed this same statement. “Emotional Safety is the biggest contributor to growth. It’s our ability to agree, disagree, and challenge each other. As an athlete and teammate I have to get better and compete against you so you can get better. This requires an open heart.” Coach Mullen calls this “Cardinal Love” and it permeates everything they do.
Psychological Safety will unleash the full potential of the heart, mind, and body of not only each individual on the team but create a powerful synergy taking the team to a new level of performance not attainable any other way.
EMPATHY: Empathy is recognizing, understanding, and appreciating how other people feel. Empathy involves being able to articulate your understanding of another’s perspective and behaving in a way that respects others’ feelings. (as defined by the EQ-i 2.0 Model of Emotional Intelligence)
“Respect is essential to building group cohesion, You don’t have to like each other but you have to respect your colleagues’ opinions and decisions, because your personal success depends on commitment to the overall plan and doing your part to make it work.“ Pat Summitt University of Tennessee Women’s Basketball
Active Listening is an important part of building empathy. The essential element of this skill is listening to understand. We may completely disagree with the other persons perspective but if we set aside our own ideas and focus on understanding and appreciating what the other person is not only saying but what they are feeling we can strengthen our connection with that person even in the midst of a difficult conversation.
ASSERTIVENESS: Assertiveness is the ability to formulate and communicate one’s own thoughts, opinions and wishes in a clear, direct and non-aggressive way. (Psychology Today)
“Average players want to be left alone. Good players want to be coached. Great players want to be told the truth.” Doc Rivers
Truth is needed for effective communication and accountability. Assertiveness allows both to take place whether on a player to player basis or addressing the entire team. The fine line between assertiveness and aggression is whether we allow our perspective to shift from “we” to “me”. As Phil Jackson said a focus on “we” over “me” takes things from good to great. Being clear, confident, sharing fact-based information and not opinion, leveraging body language, eye contact, tone of voice, leading to expectations of what should start, stop, or continue as a plan to move forward. Owning our own emotions with “I” based statements and not assigning blame nor diminishing anyone else is required.
MISSION first: Our goal for this season/year/month/week/day/moment/play is….
“Everyone on your team is important, importance knows No rank.” Mike Krzyzewski
“I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.” Mia Hamm
Daniel Goleman in his Emotional Social Competency Inventory lists “Teamwork and Collaboration” under the dimension of Relationship Management. While in the EQ-i 2.0 model Social Responsibility or being a contributing member to the teams we belong is found in the Interpersonal Relationships dimension. Clearly, being a mission first team player is critical to chemistry.
“When the light that shines inside you is greater than the light shining on you, there is nothing to be afraid of.” Dabo Swinney, Clemson Tigers
Letting go of the fear of not being in the spot light, not being the center of attention, allowing our light to shine brightest in the service of others, as Mia Hamm says “sacrificing for it” elevates everyone around us. Many are familiar with the quote from the movie “Coach Carter”
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
When we build trust by investing in growing personal relationships, engage others with respect recognizing the dignity of the individual, speak and act in truth, willingly sacrificing ourselves for others the end result is Team Chemistry.
Big Goals Require Strong Relationships. Strong Relationships are Emotionally Intelligent.
I wish you and your team a season full of victories.
Ed Hennessy
