Business Insights From A Tennis Coach: Part One

Maybe you know, maybe you don’t, but I moonlight as a tennis coach.  A bit of delusional thinking about my tennis chops on my part, nonetheless I enjoy it.  

I was playing a doubles match about a week ago.  It reminded me of a practice that you can put to work with your team to improve performance.  

After every point, we stopped to briefly talk to each other.  If you ever watch doubles on TV or Professional Volleyball or Beach Volleyball, the same thing happens. 

We don’t say too much.  First a fist bump for encouragement, no matter how the point went, then a comment about what worked or what didn’t work and what we noticed that could help. Then, a quick decision on how we will play the next point.  10 to 15 seconds tops.

The fist bump helps put a poor result behind us or puts a good result into focus. We make short comments to reinforce what to do or not to do, reminding us to do more of that.  Then we decide how to play the next point: same way or different.  

The quick talk synchronizes me and my teammate.  It turns the entire match into a one point game.  We’re focused on the task at hand and it stops us from ruminating on the poor point.   

You can do something similar with your team.  A daily huddle.  5-10 minutes only.  Everyone relates what their “big play” is that day (the point they will play today), shares new information learned from yesterday (what they have noticed that could help others), and shares something they are stuck on (what isn’t working so well) so they can get help.  

Doing this in a doubles match gets us focused on the moment, creates confidence about the next play, and makes us aware of how to adjust to each other in the game.  We play better.

Doing a daily huddle does the same thing for your team. Gets them focused on what has to get done well today, gives confidence to each other, and helps adjust and coordinate each other’s activities.  Your team moves faster, makes better decisions, accomplishes more.   

Try it. You’ll like it.  

Learn more about this and other best principles of growth at www.rocknsand.com

More tennis tips that will work for your team are on the way.