Building a strong culture is part of having a successful team, and there is a lot that you can do to make this happen. Here are five ways to develop a strong culture for your football team.
1. Focusing On Tradition
It’s important for a club to have history and tradition. One of the clubs I manage, Hawarden Rangers, is known for being one of the top clubs in our region. The club has had some fantastic players who have played for their country. This tradition is a big draw for new players.
Another element is our culture of pride, competitiveness, and being totally committed to our club and passionate about the game. We never give up, and we are tough but fair players. We are also smartly dressed – no sloppy shirts in our training sessions.
2. Understanding How Things Happen
I’ve said before that part of having a good team culture is having clear process for doing things which everyone understands. For example, all parents and players know how players will be selected.
Here’s another example of how having a schedule for how things happen helps with team culture. We have a Clubline, which is updated by 5pm each Thursday so that parents and players know everything they need to know about the next fixture. I leave information on the kick off time, where the pitch is, when the players should arrive (at least half an hour before the start) and if I need help in preparing the pitch.
Players also know what will happen in training games, what I expect, what they will gain, and how they need to play if they want to start the next game. When the session starts, all players know that we will start with the warm up in a specific area. That’s where players go when they arrive. That’s also useful for me, because I know what players are doing while I am preparing for the drills.
3 Communicating Clearly
Communicating clearly is not just about knowing the venue for the game and the time for training. It’s also about what you tell players and how you talk to them – and how players, parents and spectators can talk to you. One of my most valuable resources is a parent rep who talks to parents and manages my communication with them and their communication with me. Meanwhile, I can focus on the players, which is my main aim.
4. Dealing With People
Even though the manager is in charge, and has an idea of the overall direction of the team, this does not mean you should be dictatorial. It is better to influence players and supporters in a variety of ways. Dale Carnegie’s book How To Win Friends And Influence People provides ways of dealing with people, getting them to like you, persuading them to your viewpoint without making them resent you or get offended. All of these areas are crucial parts of fostering a productive team culture.
5. Leadership
Dale Carnegie’s book also deals with leadership and your leadership style will affect team play and player interaction. Belittling and criticizing players will lead to similar behaviour from them, or they may become submissive or forget about football. Instead of this approach, nurturing their self confidence, encouraging them to share their opinions and believing in their skills will soon help you to create a strong team culture.
There is no single way to get the team culture you want, because the individuals in each team are different. However, a solid, respectful team culture where everyone feels valued and a sense of ownership, responsibility and achievement will result from the steps listed above.
