When it comes to building a winning team, what does it really take? I have had the privilege of playing in some very successful teams throughout my professional Rugby career. I also played in a few teams that were not successful at all, even though there was enough talent for us to be successful. So what separates a winning team from an average team? How is it possible that certain teams can be successful for years and years and other teams never seem to get the recipe right?
Even though it is Rugby World Cup season, I will use a football analogy. Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson were one of the most successful teams in the English Premiership Football history. The current Manchester City team under Pep Guardiola seem unbeatable as the won the treble last season. Is it the team or is it the coach or possibly a combination? I will share my thoughts on why certain teams are more successful than others.
BUILDING A WINNING TEAM
- There is absolutely no doubt that coaching plays a massive role in sport. In rugby we always refer to them as coaches but in football they call then managers. Pep Guardiola is the manager of Manchester City and not the coach. I agree with this term as the manager has to manage a lot of people in the team. Jacques Nienaber has a forwards coach, scrum coach, athletic performance coach, backline coach and a breakdown coach for his team. He has to manage all these coaches so that they work together to help the team play the kind of rugby that Jacques and Rassie, the Director of Rugby, envision. He also has to mange the players and the doctors, physios and dietitians that also contribute to the success of the team. On top of that, he has to manage player expectation and sometimes players ego’s so that the team always comes first.
- Any great team needs talented individuals. Siya Kolisi, Erik Haaland, Max Verstappen are some great individuals that have assisted great teams to be successful. A very strong leader, coach, manager, boss, principal is key in managing these individuals and making sure that they never become bigger than the team itself.
- Strong competition within a team is key as it always keeps everybody in the team on their toes and always at their sharpest. Encouraging strong competition and excellence in training and daily activities will ensure that the team constantly performs at their best.
- Family involvement in recent times has become more and more important. In my playing days, wives and girlfriends better known as WAGS started being more involved and it seems that it has gone to another level. Players and staff need support and if that comes from family then it should be valued.
- Discipline in any team environment is key as every team needs boundaries and every player knows what is expected from him. No team member must be treated differently as that could cause unhappiness amongst the team that could affect team spirit and ultimately performance.
As mentioned before life is harder when you try and do it on your own. Be a team at home, be a team at work, be a team of friends and life becomes more fun.
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