Do You Have a ‘Superstar’ On Your Team? It might not be as good as you think…

I’m starting to realize that ‘superstar’ status isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. My kids, like many of yours, have had their share of participation in competitive sports.  One of the things I’ve noticed as they’ve transitioned from playing at the YMCA to more competitive play, is that the day of the superstar is long gone.  We all know that one kid on the rec team – the ball hog, the one who races down the court or field to score over and over, right?  I’m coming to realize that they were good in the recreational days, but can really hold a team back in the ‘big leagues’.

 

Hot shot players might draw a short-term benefit, but in the long run, they can be the demise of a team.  It’s not their fault, it’s just how the team dynamics are allowed to settle.

 

I remember a Summer when a couple of top-notch players came out to guest play with my daughters’ soccer team.  Any time they received the ball, rather than looking around to see who was in the best position to make the shot, they would dribble the entire length of the field and take the shot themselves.  The problem was that often times they were shut down by the other team because instead of passing to the open girl, they were trying to dribble through a wall of opponents.  They even saw their own teammates as obstacles that were in the way of their ‘big moment’. 

 

As teams begin to play at a higher level, the Most Valuable Player isn’t the one who puts the most points on the board.  It’s the one who did the most to advance the team objectives as a whole.  The same holds true in our practices. Every role is important in the case acceptance process. 

 

A ton of stress comes with superstar status, and others can lose motivation and confidence to try new things if the ‘Mother Hen’ is always there to do it for them.  Bottom line, there is no one person on the team that can do it as effectively as all of the parts working together. 

 

Sooo… how do you know if you have a superstar on your team?

 

• There are several tasks that only one person has the knowledge to accomplish
• When there’s a problem, team members always go to the same person to ‘fix’ it
• Very little cross-training takes place

 

Are you looking to make the pass, or find yourself constantly trying to score on your own?  Don’t underestimate the power of synergy that can propel your team closer to your vision.