Connection Building in Elite Sports Part 1

May 23, 2024

5 minute read

Connection Building in Elite Sports Part 1

Getting an edge over competitors in elite sport has become increasingly difficult. Sports psychologists and performance coaches are aplenty, and the physical, tactical, and technical pillars are bustling spaces. Over the past few years, I've worked with high-performing teams in a domain that seems relatively unexplored. It's no shiny new theory or technology. It's as ancient as we are. When harnessed, it can create real alchemy, offering teams a rare and potent performance enhancer. Connection.

‍Danes Rising

Many will remember when Christian Eriksen fell ill mid-way through Denmark’s opening game in Euro 2020. In his own words, he 'died for 5 minutes'. Thankfully he made a full recovery. What blew me away was how the Dane's responded. They reached the semi-finals without their star man. They played with a palpable life force energy. They seemed to be driven by something bigger. As one journalist described, Denmark "suddenly coalesced and crystallized into something formidable". But why the shift?

'Suddenly coalesced and crystallized into something formidable'

As relational beings, humans instinctively bind closer following adversity like illness, loss, natural disaster, or a pandemic. A useful evolutionary survival mechanism. However, some Danish players offered clues as to what further sparked their fire. After the game, Delaney said the team gathered in the hotel "to be together to talk about it together". Poulsen described how they got to "show a lot of love", and that “everyone felt like they were part of this big family." The day's events catalyzed a deep sense of unity. ”Experiencing something like that together makes you even stronger”, he said.

'Connected states like this can be achieved deliberately and safely'

All teams will face adversity, and how they respond will differ. Teams, however, don't need to wait for unwelcome challenges to ‘coalesce’, ‘show a lot of love’, or play for something bigger. Connected states like this can be achieved deliberately and safely. Rather than leaving this to chance, top coaches carve out time to work on it at specific stages of the season. These spaces are like a gym with a difference. Rather than building their physical muscle, they strengthen their connection with teammates, their mission, the club, and their higher purpose.

The Last Dance

In the lead-up to the 1998 NBA final, Chicago Bulls head coach Phil Jackson gathered his team. Knowing it was their 'last dance', he wanted to ground them in the opportunity ahead. He invited Jordan, Rodman, Pippen, and co, to write about what their Bulls team meant to them before each player read aloud to the group. “Every guy had emotional words to say”, recounted Steve Kerr.

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Veteran Michael Jordan took the chance to share some wisdom. “I’m not a poet. I just spoke what I felt at the time...you say thanks for the past, enjoy the moment, let’s make sure we end it right." Jordan's words gave his teammates a rare peek underneath his usual tough exterior. "We saw him as this bully sometimes", Kerr said. "But that day, he showed his compassion, his empathy for all of us." Once everybody had taken their go, they all put their paper in a tin can. Jackson turned out the lights, lit a match, and set fire to the paper. The Bulls sat and watched. "One of the most powerful things I've ever seen", Kerr said. The rest is history.

'One of the most powerful things I've ever seen'

The Klopp Effect

Jurgen Klopp is known for his '30 percent tactics, 70 percent team-building' approach. After leading Mainz to the Bundesliga in 2004, he said he wanted his squad to "feel like they can survive anywhere." So he brought his team off-grid for 5 days to a remote Swedish lake. The players experienced having no electricity, fishing for their food, mosquitoes, campfires, boiling their own water, and 4.5 days of heavy downpours. "You can talk about team spirit, or you can live with it", Klopp stated.

'You can talk about team spirit, or you can live with it'

After going through a form of shared adversity together, the team's resilience grew. "We were like Braveheart, and the world did not believe how strong we were after this experience", he said. Klopp is a big believer in having shared experiences. Moreover, he believes in how these interactions translate to high-pressure moments. Reflecting on a Liverpool team-building session in 2021, Klopp said, "you have to do these things so that you have a story to tell..."we speak about big games, but big games start in moments like this."

'We speak about big games, but big games start in moments like this'

Team Europe

Golf being an individual sport, athletes typically lock horns in Majors and tour events. The Ryder Cup is different. Selected golfers must set their rivalries aside to form one cohesive unit. In 2023, Europe won emphatically. In a post-victory press conference, Rory McIlroy revealed when his team started to “take shape”. On a practice trip in the lead-up to the tournament, putting greens and tactics boards were swapped for an "amazing experience" around a fire pit.

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The group reflected on “why they love the Ryder Cup so much", and “having parents that sacrificed a lot” for them. No doubt they had heard snippets of one another's stories over the years, in passing or in the media. But when there's time and space to peel back the layers and be fully present in the conversation, real transformation can happen. "I thought I knew them for a long time, but I got to know something different about them and I think that really galvanized us as a team." Speaking about his team environment, McIlroy stated quite simply, "we feel like we can be ourselves”.

'I got to know something different about them, and I think that really galvanized us as a team'

What is often forgotten amidst the glitz and media is that, even the most elite, wealthy, famous athlete is a human too. A brother, sister, son, father, who were once a little kid themselves. In their lives, they have the same core human needs as us all. They want to feel safe, valued, and respected. They want to feel a sense of purpose. They want a deeper meaning in the journey they're on. They want to feel connected.

Connection-building workshops are sacred, transformative spaces. Some of the most profound and powerful moments I've ever witnessed have unfolded in these workshops. In part 2, I will share some of my learnings from holding these sessions, my 'why' for doing this work, and how the craft of facilitation is key to unearthing the gold.

Hope you enjoyed this read.

Ronan

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