MUSING SELF INITIATIVE ACTIVITIES TO BUILD TEAM COHESION

By Maria Newton, Ph.D. and Jerry C. Sandberg

(Published in 1999 Spring Volleyball USA)

Introduction

Today's volleyball coaches must pull from a very deep 'bag of tricks' in order to develop the potential of each player and their team as a whole. Volleyball coaches must master methods of skill and strategy development. They must be knowledgeable in how to best physically train their athletes and remain abreast of medical and biomechanical advances that might influence their coaching style.

Many of these approaches are aimed at enhancing each individual team member's ability. The logic being that if each individual player is stronger, better conditioned and more skilled, then the team will be better. The adage, "There is no I in team" rings true in this case. While improving the skill of each singular player is a necessity, working equally hard at developing the cohesiveness of the team is warranted.

Team Cohesion

Volleyball teams are clearly groups because they consist of individuals that must react with and depend on each other (Zander, 1982). Additionally, volleyball teams have a collective identity, a shared purpose, structured patterns of communication, a shared common fate, and a perception of the team as a group (Carron, 1984).

Group cohesion refers to the extent to which a group/team is a "we" rather than a collection of "I's". The level of cohesiveness on a team can be inferred from a number of behavioral manifestations (Caron & Dennis, 1998). Three examples include the extent to which the members and the team as a whole are in harmony as opposed to in conflict and tense. Secondly, cohesive groups typically have effective and open communication. Lastly, full commitment to the team's purpose and goals is a characteristic of cohesive teams (Carron & Dennis, 1998).

Enhancing Cohesion Through Team Building

The goal of any team building intervention or activity is to promote team cohesion. Through team building it is hoped that team members will have a greater sense of unity and shared purpose, learn to communicate more effectively with each other, trust each other to greater degree, and be able to function as a team more smoothly and effectively (Newman, 1984).

Using Initiative Activities to Facilitate Team Cohesion

One approach to team building developed by Sandberg and Newton involves adapting low ropes course-like initiative activities to promote team cohesion. Initiative activities are movement-based dilemmas that are designed to challenge a team both mentally and physically. Initiative activities are proposed to increase team cohesion because success is dependent on willingness to risk, cooperation, trust and communication.

The approach developed by Sandberg and Newton is distinct from other adventure or high/low ropes course interventions because of the dual emphasis on physically challenging the participants coupled with a structured post-activity discussion.

Initiative Activities Team Building Program

Basic tenets:

1. It is essential that the entire team and coaching staff participate.

2. Everyone is considered an equal during the process. Coaches, incoming freshmen, assistant coaches, and graduating seniors all must approach the activity as equals.

3. A coach and/or a team captain can lead the activities.

4. Accomplishment on the activities is gauged in levels of success. Failure is never mentioned.

5. Physical and mental safety are always primary concerns. Mental safety is assured by everyone being respectful of all responses (laughing at the quality of a team member's attempt is not respectful; allowing someone not to participate is respectful of their wishes). Physical safety is promoted by being careful and employing spotters whenever necessary.

6. Each initiative activity is different but the process remains the same. The process contains the following steps:

1. With everyone in a semi-circle, the initiative activity is introduced by the leader. The leader should provide as few instructions as possible and only intervene while the activity is being attempted as a last resort. Appropriate times to intervene are when safety is a concern, when absolutely no progress is being made, or when the level of conflict is extreme.
2. After a given period of time or at a good stopping point, the leader stops the activity. A semi-circle is formed around the leader.
3. The leader guides a discussion (termed processing) of the experience. The discussion is structured in a attempt to get each team member to articulate their experience, value other team members' experience, recognize the importance of teamwork, cooperation, trust, and communication, and discover ways in which their experience on the activity can transfer to the court.
4. The leader of the activity (usually the coach) evaluates the team's experience for each initiative activity as well as the team's feedback about the experience. This information is used to determine the value of repeating the exercise immediately or at a later date.

What follows are a number of initiative activities. The name of the activity is provided followed by the general goal of the activity and a detailed description of the activity. Finally, a number of discussion/processing questions are presented.

1. Let's Get Up

Let's Get Up is a great warm-up activity to get a team focused. It increases group cooperation, support, and reliance. To begin, pairs of players face each other, hold hands, and squat down like a softball or baseball catcher and lean back. The players should then try to stand up simultaneously. The leader should choose who pairs with whom and it is advisable to pair up players who are having difficulty working together.

After each pair has successfully stood up together, combine the pairs into groups of four. In a small circle, each person holds hands with the person next to them, assumes a squatting position, and leans back. The group should then attempt to stand up successfully. Each time the group is successful, increase the size of the group.

Processing/Discussion questions: After the activity is completed, the leader should assemble the group and ask the following questions: a) What did it take to be successful in this activity? b) What happened as the group got larger? c) Did you have confidence that your teammates would help you up? d) How can this experience help us on the court?

2. Human Knots

Human Knots is an activity that enhances the teams' patience and listening and communication skills. The goal of the activity is for the group to untangle a human knot made up of entirely interlocking hands. Begin with an even number of participants. Assemble the team shoulder to shoulder in a very tight circle. Each team member then reaches across the circle and grasps the right hand of a teammate with their own right hand. Each team member should then reach across the circle and grasp a different person's left hand with their own. The team will resemble a human pretzel at this point. While continually maintaining hand contact, the team tries to 'untie' itself. There are two guidelines when making the knots. First, no person should be holding onto another person's right and left hand. Secondly, no one should be holding another person's left hand with their right hand and visa versa.

This is a good initiative activity to manipulate. For example, if the team leader is dominating the activity, then blindfolding or placing a 'gag' rule on that person can be effective. If the group finds the activity too simple, then silencing the entire group can be productive. If the activity is too difficult, have two team members release their hands (not both hands, just one set of right hands or one set of left hands). This will provide the group with two ends of the 'knot' to work with and simplify the activity.

The following questions should be asked of the group following the activity: a) What methods were used to communicate? b) How important was it to listen to each other? c) What did you have to do to be successful? d) How are communication and listening to each other important to accomplishing team goals

3. Stay on the Line

Stay on the line is an activity that increases awareness of the importance of cooperation and relying on others. To begin, the team should stand shoulder to shoulder on a designated line (or circle) on the court. The leader should then prompt the team to rearrange itself based on some criteria (for example, height, birth date, shoe size, etc.) without stepping off the line. If a team member 'falls' off the line at some point, the activity should start over. The team will soon find out that high levels of cooperation and reliance are needed in order to pass each other.

Possible discussion questions include: a) What was the key to succeeding in this activity? B) Did you find it difficult to rely on others? C) Is there any similarity between what happened here and what has to happen in a game in order to succeed?

Using initiative activities can be an effective means of enhancing team cohesion because they promote a sense of connection and understanding between and among team members. By following the program outlined above coaches can have yet one more trick in their bag to enhance the overall performance of their team.

References

Carron, A.V. (1984). Motivation: Implications for coaching and teaching. London, Ont.: Sports Dynamics.

Carron, A.V., & Dennis, P.W. (1998). The sport team as an effective group. In J. Williams (Ed.), Applied sport psychology personal growth to peak performance. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield.

Newman, B. (1984). Expediency as benefactor: How team building saves time and gets the job done. Training and Development Journal, 38, 26-30.

Sandberg, J., & Newton, M. (1999). Team building through low ropes course self initiative activities. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Zander, A. (1982). Making groups effective. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.