Seeing how someone reacts under pressure is never more evident than through the lens of sports, when hundreds and thousands of people are viewing, judging, criticizing and celebrating along with the athletes. When it comes to team sports, there is an added layer of complexity. How a single athlete responds is one thing, but how a team pulls together – or doesn’t – is another story all together.
The true test of a team comes when it faces turbulence. If handled constructively, this can strengthen team dynamics regardless of outcome.
I am struck by this notion while attending and observing the College World Series. The mental and emotional fiber of a team gets tested in high pressure situations. And while practice and repetition enable a team’s ability to consistently perform across a range of situations, the outcome can never fully be predicted. In this sense, teams have the opportunity to grow and mature through difficult situations. The same can be said for business, but it requires leaders to rally their teams constructively and collaboratively as a unit. In this way, even in the midst of crisis, the strength of the team is leveraged and healthy relationships between team members take precedence over individual performance.
Team dynamics just may be the deciding factor for University of Michigan as the underdog tries to bring home its first championship since 1962. It’ll be an exciting series to watch.