Team Cohesion

Team cohesion
Team cohesion in sport
Group or Team cohesion in sport is defined

as “dynamic process which is reflected
in the tendency for a group to stick
together and remain united in the pursuit
of goals and objectives”
Two independent components of team
cohesion are:
Task cohesion &
Social cohesion
Task cohesion: Social cohesion:
It reflects the degree to which It reflects the degree to
members work together to which members of a team
achieve a specific goal. like each other and enjoy
being members of the team.
When considering the development of team

cohesion among members of a team, it is
important that the coach differentiate
between task and social cohesion.
These two types of cohesion can be developed
simultaneously in a team , or they can be
developed independently of each other.
Stages of team formation:
from group to team
1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
Stages of team formation
Forming
In this stage team members familiarize themselves
with other team members. Members of a team
engage in social comparisons, assessing one
another’s strengths and weaknesses.
Athletes lacking a strong team identification will

have difficulty forming positive relationships with
other team members.
Coaches should develop strategies to facilitate group

member familiarity and to ease team interaction at
early stages of team formation
Storming
Storming stage is characterized by resistance to the
leader, resistance to control by the group, and
interpersonal conflict. Great emotional resistance
emerges as each group member experiences
conflict due to the demands placed on him or her.
Coaches need to communicate with athletes

objectively and openly. Evaluations of each athlete's
strengths and weaknesses, as well as his role on
the team, will help relieve uncertainty, a chief
source of stress for athletes.
Norming
During norming, hostility is replaced by solidarity
and cooperation. Conflict are resolved and a sense
of unity forms. Instead of watching out for their
individual well-being, the athletes work together to
reach common goals. Group cohesion occurs
during this stage.
Coaches can facilitate this process by praising team
members for quality performance, effort, and
improvement, while at the same time emphasizing
each player’s unique contribution to the team’s
success.
Performing
In this stage team members band together channel
their energies for team success. The team focuses
on problem solving, using group process and
relationships to work on tasks and test new ideas.
roles are well defined, and the players help one
another to succeed, the primary goal is team
success.
Feedback should be provided to players regarding
their special contributions, and a cooperative
climate should be encouraged.
Determinants & consequence of Team cohesion
DETERMINANTS CONSEQUENCES
Personal factors Group outcomes
 Satisfaction  Team stability
 Similarity of experience  Absolute performance
Team factors effectiveness
 Prior success  Relative performance
 Communication effectiveness
 Having team goals Individual outcomes
 Behavioral outcomes
 Importance of achieving
goals  Absolute performance
Leadership factors effectiveness
 Relative performance
 Effort to develop cohesion effectiveness of achieving
Environmental factors goals
 Size of group
TEAM COHESION
• Task cohesion
• Team cohesion
Team cohesion: Conceptual model
Environmental factors
Personal factors Leadership factors
Team factors
Cohesion
Group outcomes Individual outcomes

Team cohesion-Performance relationship
Team cohesion leads to increased tem performance,
but increased team performance also leads to an
increase in team cohesion
Team
Cohesion
→
→ Team
Performance
Enhancing Cohesion
1. Communicate effectively
2. Explain individual roles in team success
3. Develop pride within subunits
4. Set challenging group goals
5. Encourage group identity
6. Avoid formation of social cliques
7. Avoid excessive turnover
8. Conduct periodic team meetings
9. Know team climate
10.Know something personal about each group
member
1.Communicate effectively
Team building requires a climate of

openness, where airing problems and
matters of concern is encouraged.
As communication about task and social

issues increases, cohesiveness develops.
As a result, group members are more open
with each other, volunteer more, talk more,
and listen better.
2.Explain individual roles in team success
Coaches should clearly outline individual

roles to team members, stressing the
importance of each player's role to the
team’s success.
When players understand what is required of

their team mates, they can begin to develop
support and empathy.
3.Develop pride within subunits
Players need the support of their team

mates, especially those playing the
same position.
Coaches should foster pride within
subunits within sports
4.Set challenging group goals
Setting specific, challenging goals has a

positive impact on individual and group
performance.
Group goals set a high norm for productivity
and keep the team focused on what it
needs to accomplish.
The goals should be performance-based
(relating to players’ abilities) rather than
outcome-based (winning)
5.Encourage group identity
Groups should be made to feel special and in

some sense different from other groups.
A coach or leader can encourage team

identity (Eg. Ordering team jackets and
scheduling social functions etc.)
6.Avoid formation of social cliques
Players often form cliques when the team is

losing, their needs are not being met, or
when coaches treat athletes defiantly.
Cliques tend to be disruptive to a team.

Coaches should quickly determine why they
are forming and take the steps to break
them up.
7.Avoid excessive turnover
Excessive turnover decreases cohesion and

makes it difficult for members to establish
close rapport.
They feel unfamiliar with each other and

uncertain about the group’s longevity.
Senior players should be asked help integrate

the new players into the team.
8.Conduct periodic team meetings
Throughout the season coaches should

conduct team meetings to allow positive
and negative feelings to be honestly,
openly, and constructively expressed.
Teams can talk about learning from mistakes,

redefining goals, and maintaining good
sportsmanship.
9.Know the team climate
A coach or leader should identify the group

members who have high interpersonal
prestige and status in the group.
They can be the links for communication.

These links give coaches and athletes
vehicles for expressing ideas, opinions, and
feelings regarding what is happening on the
team.
10.Know something personal about each
group member
Players appreciate it when the coach or

leader makes a special effort to know about
their lives outside the context of the team.
What group members can do
1. Get to know members of the group

2. Help group members whenever possible
3. Give group members positive
reinforcement
4. Be responsible (Do not blame each other)
5. Communicate honestly and openly with the
coach
6. Resolve conflicts immediately
7. Give maximum effort at all times
(Eg.Practice sessions)
Summary
 Definition
 Components: task and social cohesion
 Team formation
 Determinants and consequence of team
cohesion
 Model of team cohesion
 Enhancing team cohesion

Team Cohesion

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Team cohesion

Team cohesion in sport

Group or Team cohesion in sport is defined

When considering the development of team

Athletes lacking a strong team identification will

Coaches should develop strategies to facilitate group

Coaches need to communicate with athletes

Personal factors Leadership factors

Group outcomes Individual outcomes

Team building requires a climate of

As communication about task and social

Coaches should clearly outline individual

When players understand what is required of

Players need the support of their team

Setting specific, challenging goals has a

Groups should be made to feel special and in

A coach or leader can encourage team

Players often form cliques when the team is

Cliques tend to be disruptive to a team.

Excessive turnover decreases cohesion and

They feel unfamiliar with each other and

Senior players should be asked help integrate

Throughout the season coaches should

Teams can talk about learning from mistakes,

A coach or leader should identify the group

They can be the links for communication.

Players appreciate it when the coach or

1. Get to know members of the group

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