Defining Core Values and Goals for a Team

I recently had the pleasure of working with a highly competitive all-star team.  The athlete’s are from teams that regularly compete against each other and then come play as an all star travel team.  This takes place during the season.  We were meeting to discus roles and goals which lead us in the direction of setting up core values and goals.  I’ll do a blog on goal setting soon.

In business we might define this as our mission statement or company philosophy.  For an athletic team I think core values hit it pretty well. Define who you are as a team, not so much in terms of what you want to accomplish, but to establish the backbone of the team.  This way win or lose you have a foundation from which you can deal with most any situation.  Core values can be modified over time, but serve to assist in continuity for new team members and changing rosters.

My suggestions for the team went something like this and I hope that this outline is useful to others.

1)      Develop some Core Values for a Team

2)   Write out this year’s and next year’s goals Performance & Outcome

3)   Write out Process goals fitness, practice time, strategy, etc.

4)   Everyone writes out their personal goals to help the team (individually at home) they can share one or two in a      group session

5)  Agree to and sign goals and core values

6)  Agree to hold each other accountable for actions.  This works as a team, and in pairs or groups of three.  Sometimes 3’s are better, but it depends on team dynamics.

7)  Visualize working as a team, striving to reach goals

8)  Imagine greatness Remember to imagine what it will taste, feel, smell, or sound like reaching your goals

Their next step is getting together to brainstorm core values and write team goals.  I believe this is beneficial in many team situations from the youth level up. Coaches and managers can develop the core values for teams.  As players join the team they start out understanding these values.  It helps avoid conflict down the line.

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This is some text prior to the author information. You can change this text from the admin section of WP-Gravatar  Mike Margolies: Sport Psychology Consultants ; TheMental-Game.com Mike Margolies is a Sport Psychology Consultant, Certified Mental Trainer® (CMT), Author, and Professional Speaker. When you want to be the best that you can be and the one thing you might be missing is the right mental game - what can you do? Well, athletes from all over the country have been seeking out Mike Margolies for over three decades to help them reach their potential. His clients include professional, elite, colligate and youth athletes in every sport. They have sought his counsel and unique teaching style to learn about the game within the game, or what mental training can do to help them become the athlete they want to be. He has trained professional and elite athletes and helped guide many to world championships and even the Super Bowl. Mike has trained more than 2000+ athletes. He has taught at four Universities and completed research at the United States Olympic Training Center. His new book is called The Athlete within You- A Mental Approach to Sports and Business. He currently works with individual athletes, teams and businesses around the world, both in person and via SKYPE. Mike is based out of the Pacific Northwest. Let him encourage you to play the game within the game. The Athlete within You is waiting to come out play. Learn the rules to the mental game to help realize your potential. Read more from this author

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