You've been there, the heat of competition, game is close, and tension begins to mount. Emotions swirl around and you find that your mind is so cluttered that any sense of clarity has passed by. Hopefully someone, a coach, captain, or some team leader, stepped up and had something to say. If you are like me, you may not remember a word coming out of the person's mouth. Turns out that the words are not that important anyway.
Most athletes in a time of high stress remember the actions, nonverbal communication, and tone of those who step up to lead, more so than the actual words. Unfortunately, too many of us recall these moments where someone either tries to rally everyone by yelling and screaming, or by someone who is so stressed out themselves they put you in a more unsettled place. Ideally the coach or team leader that steps forward is a person who can keep their cool. Someone whose composure is never in question. Someone whose very nature, regardless of actual words spoke, puts you in a more relaxed state, aiding you in performing at your highest level.
As leaders, keeping your composure is of the utmost importance. I have said before that the leaders of a team have a major impact on the teams personality. Those players who are looked up to by their peers tend to be the pulse of the team. If the leaders show anxiety, tentativeness, and a lack of confidence, it will spread throughout the team like a virus. If the leaders are composed, confident, aggressive, and courageous, these qualities will also find their way into the play of their teammates. Keep your cool and be consistent. Lead with the same spirit whether in a close game or a nail biter. In many cases the composure of a team's leaders is the difference between winning 1-run games and losing 1-run games.
"Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you're in control, they're in control." Tom Landry, former Dallas Cowboys Coach
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2 comments:
it isnt just having your actions speak for you it is leading by words and showing them through how you carry yourself and how you approach the game. a leader just knows when to speak and when to show.... at least thats my view on that
My brother, Ghavinn, makes a good point. A leader needs to pick and choose when to jump out front and use words to motivate the team, and when to go out and show what commitment and hard work is by their actions on the field (whether that be practice or a game). A leader has to read what the team needs at any given point and act accordingly.
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