Football is a discipline that requires the mastery of very specific motor functions; however, the winning teams are often a result of the “intangibles”, those aspects of the sport that are not measurable. As a coach involved in youth development, we prioritize individual development over competition, meaning that we focus training on the specific motor functions and techniques that will allow the individual to reach a high level of performance. Nevertheless, from a coach development point of view it is extremely important that we expand that focus. The following piece will turn the spotlight on the intangibles I believe are key for group management: knowing the individual and coping with success/failure.  

Paradoxically, a key aspect for successful group training is knowing the individual. For a leader it is key to understand each member of the team and how to bring out the best in that person. I recommend that coaches take the time to get to know each of the team members individually. Where are they from, what do they like to do outside of the field, what are their motivations, what are their fears…? This is a process that does not happen in one meeting, but rather throughout the course of time. Try to explore as many corners of the individual’s personality, bright and dark, to get a complete picture. Accessing this information will allow the coach to understand how to inspire and support each team member, and as a result, the group.  Another consequence of this is ensuring that players feel they are in a safe environment where they can express themselves fully. Too often the coaches focus on how to impact the players’ development by only focusing on their technical and tactical skills. A good coach must keep in mind that taking care of the human is key for achieving and maintaining high performance levels.   

A common mistake we make as coaches is to treat players the way we were treated back when we were in their position. The coach must be empathetic and aware of how his/her actions are affecting the performance of the individual. Be attentive to the player’s reaction to different types of feedback. Look for small cues after each coaching moment to find out if that is the most effective way to correct, motivate or teach each person. Do I need to be more strict with “x” player but not give so many feedbacks to “y”? Does “z” player need more positive feedback than “x”…? Again, not everyone will react the same way to your approach, but that is the beauty of strong leadership, it is adaptive and responds to the unique personalities in the team.  

Returning to my second point, how a coach copes with success and failure can strongly influence group dynamics. Many times, the evaluation process only takes place as a response to negative results or performances. However, being capable of assessing and reflecting upon a positive situation is equally as important. I was fortunate to spend 6 years coaching and playing under Caleb Porter, currently head coach at Columbus Crew in the USA. He told us many times – “Keep your highs low and your lows high”. I always thought this was a brilliant and simple way to explain and reinforce emotional balance. As a coach it is so easy to get carried away with results or performances, sometimes overexaggerating the situation. Again, this is common in both a success and a failure situation. It is important to be self-aware of emotions after every performance, whether in a training session or a game. Reflect on what you are feeling in that moment, am I frustrated, overjoyed…? Try to take a step back and reset your perspective by counterbalancing the feeling with a fact. For example, after a loss try to immediately recall the good actions and vice versa, after a win try to remember what could have been improved. 

I would like to share a personal experience from last season. My team was struggling in a specific league. Naturally, the coaching staff and players were disappointed after the compiling losses and we had a shared tendency to overemphasize the negative results. Surprisingly, each time the coaches watched the footage of the game, we discovered good actions that filled us with hope for the remaining season.  To make a long story short, the team did in fact turn the season around in the second half and ended up finishing in fifth place of a fourteen-team league. What we learned as coaches was that we wasted a lot of energy in feeling frustrated or disappointed and transmitted that energy to the players after games. Instead of immediately letting the feeling of disappointment overtake us, we should have maintained a more neutral stance and encouraged the players to do the same.  

In conclusion, leadership positions require a careful balance of flexibility and control.  One must be flexible in order to adapt to unique situations and personalities, but at the same time controlled enough not to be emotionally swayed by good or bad moments. Remember, it is the leader’s responsibility to bring out the best within each individual player for the good of the group.  I hope that by focusing on these points, the next time you find yourself in a leadership position you will be one step closer to creating a perfect environment for positive group dynamics and performance.