bcg blog

Systems: Role Acceptance

It’s December of 2020. Like every other high school basketball team in Ohio, our preseason is coming to an end. Our players are generally happy to see the conditioning, two and a half hour practices, and internal competition give way to scouting reports, shorter pregame practices, and competition against anyone other than themselves. The coaches are right there with them.

Our coaching staff, however, has more important things to worry about. We have to make this group of individuals into a team. If we’re going to win, it’s going to have to be based on the strength of our group rather than the talent of our individuals. We’re not talented enough for that. To be sure they understand fully, I lead with that fact in our first team meeting. Hope is useless without a clear understanding of reality.

The locker room is our safe space. We’ll face many challenges together throughout the year but one of the first, and most important is happening right now. We have to figure out exactly how this human puzzle fits together. We need each guy to prioritize what the team needs from them, over what they want from the team . We need everyone to embrace their role. 

I remind them that roles are based on what the team needs, not on what they want. And, when you choose to be a part of a team, you are choosing to prioritize the needs of the team over your own desires. That is the tradeoff of a team. You can do things you could never do as an individual, but your priority must shift from yourself to your team. Not willing to do that? Don’t join a team, at least not our team.

We’re about halfway through our roster with a Strength & Weakness exercise when we arrive at a pivotal discussion with one of our talented sophomores. Player after player unanimously share this individual’s strength to be his defensive intensity and focus. Although his weakness wasn’t quite as clearcut, the take away was still apparent: focus on defense and shoot lay-ups. 

To be sure he, and his teammates understood the feedback, I asked the question every kid playing basketball in the Steph Curry-era wants to know: Can he shoot threes?

The response I was looking for did not come quickly enough.
Immediately I know, more discussions are needed before he embraces his role.

Why Should We Care?
Our player may have heard the feedback from his teammates, but he clearly was not excited about accepting it just yet. Until he accepts it, the role is unfilled. As much as I would like to just tell each team member their role and move on, it would actually rob the individual of their full contribution. The act of choosing acceptance, is their demonstration of choosing the team over themselves.

A week later, I follow-up. I ask the player if we can agree that focusing on defense would be the best way for him to contribute the most to the team? He agrees. Next, I ask if we can agree that the team has several guys that are better perimeter shooters than he is? He agrees, but tries to leave room for exceptions, asking if he could shoot threes if he’s wide open? I ask if he thinks that is best for the team? He thinks for a minute and decides against it.

At this point, I wouldn’t say he’s excited about the role just yet, but he’s consciously thinking about it. That’s ok. When he does decide, it will be an intentional choice. His contribution will be maximized and our team's ceiling will be closer to being met.

As it turns out, he accepts the role, starts every game, guards the opponent's best player, shoots zero three pointers … and wins a state championship.

He chose the team over himself.

REAL TALK - Action Steps
Accepting and embracing a role is the job of the team member. Presenting it and providing that opportunity to accept it is the role of the leader. Too often we assume the intricate parts of team dynamics will just happen, or not happen. It’s far too important to leave to chance. Role acceptance is a huge part of that.

Here is a system to help you own your team’s ability to embrace their roles:

• Find your value to find your role. 
  
  • Everyone contributes differently to a team. Our biggest contribution will usually align with our strengths. By sticking to our strengths and avoiding our weaknesses, we increase our overall impact on the group and maximize our value. This approach not only benefits the team, it benefits the individual. One of the primary feelings we all want as part of a team is to know we are adding value. Sticking to your strengths is one of the best ways to add the most value.
    
  • Exercise: Strengths & Weaknesses
    

Each member of the team, coaches/leaders included, write down two strengths and one weakness for each team member. The group shares, one by one, the strengths they have written followed by the weakness. Team members share what they had for themselves along with what they heard their teammates say. This feedback typically confirms or pushes against the role the player initially had in mind.

• Clarify your value to clarify your role.
  
  • In order to help the people we are leading fully embrace their role, we must create true clarity around our expectations for them. Detailed directness offers the opportunity to fully buy into the role that best suits them. It guides their daily actions and aids the ability of others to hold teammates accountable. There should be no guess-work when it comes to your role. Clarity holds all the power.
    
  • Exercise: Role Presentations
    

Each member of the team presents their primary role to the team, the role the team needs and falls within that particular player’s strengths. Team members provide feedback and either accept the role or recommend changes to the role. Any changes are presented again until all roles are accepted. 

• Reinforce your value to reinforce your role.
  
  • Everyone on the team wants to provide value and wants to know that others recognize the value they are providing. Finding ways to honor the contribution of each team member elevates the desire of all team members to fulfill their roles. Those receiving the least public recognition should be your priority.
    
  • Exercise: Moments of Greatness
    

On a regular basis ask team members to share highlights of contributions made by teammates in their specific role. In a whole group setting use these opportunities to allow teammates to recognize their peers for things they have done within their roles to help the team be successful. Encourage team members to pay special attention to behind the scenes roles that often go unnoticed.

It’s one thing to say we value each role on the team. It’s another thing to create a system that allows those roles to be embraced and reinforced. To maximize your team, help team members maximize their contributions by finding, clarifying, and reinforcing each individual’s role.

Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here!