Building Your Dream Team: AFL Coaches’ Secrets for Success
Building Your Dream Team: AFL Coaches’ Secrets for Success
Learn how to create a high-performing team for your small business with insights from AFL coaching strategies
"I have been fortunate to witness and share in some very successful programs, and I know that teaching solid habits can build a winning habit of its own," Craig McRae Collingwood Coach
If I had a dollar for every time a business owner mentioned their struggle to find good employees, I’d be swimming in cash by now! The truth is, building your dream team isn’t about finding a bunch of “star players” who know just what to do. It's all about building a team that functions smoothly and effectively. This blog post looks at key AFL coaching principles to give small business owners a peek into what it takes to assemble a successful team both on the oval and in your business.
Understanding the AFL Team Approach
Think of building the dream team for your business like putting together an AFL team. Sure, having star players is appealing, well actually it is the goal, right? In fact, everyone seems to be on the lookout for top quality players (and staff), you know the ones that perform in a way that allows you to sleep at night knowing everything is in safe hands.
But what happens when you can't find them in the numbers you need or, for that matter, just at all? Waiting to find quality staff that are no stress because they know what they are there for, can be trusted to get the job done right, and don’t take the piss is something every small business owner has faced at some time. Just like every AFL fan has felt the frustration at some time of watching their team struggle with players that just can’t seem to get it together when it counts. Watching your team make fumble after fumble and seeing your hope of ever getting to the top of the ladder get smaller each week is same frustration owners feel about seeing their profit margins and sanity slowly disappearing from ongoing poor attitudes and crappy staff performance.
When the wait for relief never seems like it will be over, all hope can end up hanging on FINALLY scoring that perfect number one draft pick next season which you know will change the fortunes of your team or, for your business, that top performer who is just happy to work hard.
This is the dream, right? Finding that team member, either for your AFL team or business that finally has their head screwed on and knows what they are doing. Then you can relax, then things will finally get better, then everything will be ok. But is that really how it goes?
Suppose you do luck out and do get that star player—what's next? Unfortunately, without the proper support structures, their talent may only shine briefly before pressure leads to errors, inconsistent performance, and dissatisfaction amongst both players and fans who either turn on themselves, or worse, you as the boss. This is when things can really start to get tough. What started out with so much promise has left you feeling like an outsider with your own team, and you start thinking, “Is this worth all the hassle? Maybe I should just go back to doing things on my own, it was easier back then, wasn’t it?” The truth is that true success comes not from you, but your team, it lies in taking a group of ordinary players and transforming them into an extraordinary team who can take you where you have always dreamed of going.
Let’s dive into the strategies of stand-out AFL and small business teams
Building a strong AFL team is pretty similar to assembling a top-performing small business crew. There are lots of tips small business owners can pick up from great AFL coaches to become awesome bosses. Leadership isn’t just about knowing the play on the field or on the job; it comes from people dedicated to reaching their goals. A big myth about leadership is that only a few are naturally gifted enough to be destined for greatness or have some secret strategy to get the best out of their team. The reality is great leadership is something you can learn. If you’re motivated to improve and are open to new ideas, you can become an outstanding leader. And as for the "winning formula," you might be surprised to know that you already have it within you. Any strategy to build a solid team should help you lead with authenticity and heart first. Basically, the leadership skills needed to guide a Premiership AFL team, or an award-winning small business can be learned and should help you lead as your genuine self.
Clarity: The Foundation of Success
Without a doubt, knowing in the greatest detail what you want your team to achieve is the first step for anyone looking to build a stand-out team. It may sound obvious enough, but your team needs to know exactly what’s expected of them. When everyone understands their role and how they contribute to the bigger picture, you create a sense of purpose and direction. This is like AFL coaches emphasizing the importance of understanding, training and talking about the game plan. Effective communication of the game plan ensures that all team members are on the same page, leading to better execution on game day.
The AFL Coaches Association makes no bones of how clear communication and defined roles are vital in ensuring that players understand their responsibilities. Good coaches begin the conversation before the season starts and embed its importance into all communication from then on, even during match time, to ensure every player understands how them being on or off, their position or place in the game plan supports the long-term vision and success of the team. The same principles apply in a business context. Make sure your employees know their roles, and how their work contributes to your business’s goals and why that matters in the long run.
Training: Investing in Your Team
Don’t just hire people and expect them to figure it out. Even people coming into your business (or team) with the highest skills and strongest experience still don’t know how to do things “your way”. Investing in training that aligns with your business goals, equipping your team with the skills they need to excel and grow within your company and the focus on the skills they need to deliver excellence is the only way to improve the results of your team. AFL coaches stress the importance of continuous training and development, ensuring all team members know how their club’s way of doing things.
In business, training is often overlooked, especially going back over the fundamentals to ensure there are no gaps and no one has let lazy habits creep in. Keeping skills fresh and developing the overall skill set of your team is essential for employee growth and job satisfaction. Alongside making sure the basics are executed to the highest level, regular training sessions built into the way you do business ensure that your team stays updated with industry trends and best practices. The top AFL coaches all know that continuous learning and adaptation are crucial for keeping a competitive edge and being able to achieve consistent results in an ever-changing field so that is why their teams train multiple times each week even though they only play once.
Systems: Creating Consistency
An often-overlooked part of creating a stand-out team is the intentional establishment of clear systems and processes that guide and support your team. This creates consistency in how key tasks that move the business, AFL team and their brand forward effectively are completed and ensures that everyone is on the same page producing consistent and predictable results. Good systems act like the playbook for your business success. In AFL, the development of game plans and tactics is crucial. Understanding player roles and strategic zones on the field ensures that the team runs smoothly and efficiently.
In business, having clear systems in place can help streamline operations and improve productivity. All businesses have systems, but systems that are intentional so they can be refined and developed systematically is critical in creating a high-performance culture. By implementing structured processes, you can ensure that your team works efficiently and effectively, growing the value of your business by giving you repeatable and consistent outcomes.
Personal Leadership: Empowering Your Team
Cultivate personal leadership within your team. But what does this mean exactly. Basically, cultivating personal leadership mean giving everybody the opportunity to be accountable for their effort and actions. Everyone needs to be accountable, from you down, to ensure every team member is empowered to make decisions, take initiative, and contribute to the success of the business. AFL coaches highlight the importance of personal leadership and its connection to effective collaboration. Team members with high levels of personal leadership driven out of accountability within the team can drive performance and foster a culture of excellence.
In a business setting, personal leadership is about more than just giving orders. It’s about inspiring and motivating your team to achieve their best by setting clear expectations and boundaries.
Achieving Excellence Through Teamwork
When you focus on these elements, you create a team that doesn’t just meet expectations—they exceed them. They become a true dream team, working together seamlessly and driving your business forward with consistency. These strategies mirror the approach of AFL coaches who emphasize teamwork, collaboration, and understanding the game plan to achieve their goals.
Teamwork is at the heart of any successful organisation. By fostering a collaborative environment, you can ensure that your team works together towards common aims.
Ready to Build Your Dream Team?
Make this month your month to set the groundwork for success. Prioritize clarity, training, systems, and personal leadership to create a high-performing team that propels your business forward. Just as in AFL, where top teams win through unity, your business can excel through teamwork and collaboration. To learn how to build your dream team, visit my program page if you’re wanting to make industry leading impact.
BONUS: Listen to Craig McRae talk about Parenthood, winning the 2023 AFL Grand Final, and what it takes to be a leader who has it all:
References
https://performancebydesign.co/culture-couch-afl/
https://www.warrandytejfc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/chapter8.pdf
https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/id/29192635/from-afl-coach-box-part-2-communication
https://aflca.com.au/news/2024-afl-coaches-association-awards-night
