• Nurturing and growing team spirit in youth groups enhances their interpersonal and leadership skills.

• Working as a team enhances their future success in adulthood.

• Supporting and assisting others enables us to achieve more success than doing everything ourselves.

Team spirit is a building block in Coach John Wooden’s ‘Pyramid of Success.

Coach Wooden stated that team spirit is “An eagerness to sacrifice personal interest or glory for the welfare of all.” “The team comes first.”

If no one is concerned about getting the credit, it is amazing how much can be accomplished.

How can we encourage team spirit in our group coaching?

• Seek diversity in the groups we coach.

• Have participants of differing ages, backgrounds, cultures, etc. This enhances the positive group chemistry.

• As they get to know each other, team spirit grows.

• The understanding of their differences and similarities has a positive influence on the team chemistry.

• Working together for the welfare of the group helps the participants develop their own interpersonal skills.

• If no one is concerned about who is getting the credit it is amazing how much can be accomplished.

• A team is as strong as its weakest team member. Knowing this ensures all team members realize why it is important to assist each other.

• Egoism, selfishness and envy can ruin a team’s effectiveness.

• Learning to build team spirit is key to becoming a leader.

• Leadership requires learning the skill to get everybody in a group eager to put “we” ahead of “me.”

• Review how personal goals are achieved when the group obtains their desired goals.

• Note that if the team fails, that the team members will not have the opportunity to achieve their personal goals.

HUMILITY:

• Humility is a powerful leadership skill.

• Give credit to everyone who has contributed to the success of the group.

• Help them realize that they work with and for each other and not for any one person.

• Analyze why something did not work out and how they can improve as a team.

• It is all about the team. As Coach Wooden liked to say, “The star of the team is the team.”

POSITIVE FEEDBACK:

• Practice and learn useful and positive team member communications.

• Practice public praise and private criticism.

• Give praise to those who are seldom acknowledged.

• Everyone’s contribution is important and they see that their efforts are appreciated.

• Create a safe environment where negative criticism and gossip is frowned upon.

THE JOY OF GIVING:

• Helping each other to succeed and overcome challenges aids team spirit.

• Encourage unselfish team effort.

• When the group is working towards shared goals, they unite as a team.

• Encourage the group to have fun.

• When they are enjoying their group’s interactions and activities, they will want to continue.

• They will support each other as team spirit grows.

 If you wish to review the previous posting about Coach Wooden’s The Pyramid of Success  you can find it at: http://www.ourfutureleaders.ca/program-activities/themes-to-inspire-discussion/

 Please share your ideas on how we can assist our youth to gain team spirit.