{"id":28275,"date":"2024-11-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/?post_type=article&p=28275"},"modified":"2025-12-15T11:00:22","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T11:00:22","slug":"your-teams-mental-performance-program-will-only-be-effective-with-a-clear-strategy-heres-what-you-should-do","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/your-teams-mental-performance-program-will-only-be-effective-with-a-clear-strategy-heres-what-you-should-do\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Team\u2019s Mental Performance Program Will Only Be Effective with a Clear Strategy. Here\u2019s What you Should Do"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\n 13 Nov 2024 <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>Articles<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Your Team\u2019s Mental Performance Program Will Only Be Effective with a Clear Strategy. Here\u2019s What you Should Do<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Category<\/div>\n Human Performance<\/a>, Leadership & Culture<\/a> <\/div>\n
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https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/your-teams-mental-performance-program-will-only-be-effective-with-a-clear-strategy-heres-what-you-should-do\/<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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In the second part of our miniseries, mental performance coach Aaron Walsh explains the importance of a vision, philosophy and framework.<\/p>\n \n \n \n

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By Aaron Walsh<\/h6>\n
What do we believe to be the most effective way to develop our people?<\/h6>\n

Do we focus on increasing capability or reducing interference as a primary strategy?<\/p>\n

In theory, most would agree with increasing capability but, in practice, our coaching models are often dominated by reducing interference.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a time and a place for work-ons but, from a mental perspective, when we overfocus on weaknesses, players can become oversensitive to threats that could impact performance. Their thoughts drift towards what could go wrong and how those weaknesses could be exposed.<\/p>\n

When we focus on their strengths, they are more likely to look for opportunities to express those positive points of difference. Rather than being anxious about performing, they are excited.<\/p>\n

Your mental performance work should align with your overall performance philosophy and beliefs about how we get the most out of the people we leads, but once a team has decided on an approach to increasing its mental performance, there needs to be some strategy around the work. To do this, there are three questions to guide us:<\/p>\n

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  1. What is the vision for the work?<\/li>\n
  2. What philosophy will drive the work?<\/li>\n
  3. What framework will we build the work upon?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Creating a vision for the work<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s start with the end in mind. What would success look like if we nail this work?<\/p>\n

    This question lets us capture something tangible and provides strategic direction with clear outcomes. It anchors us in reality while buffering us from the temptation to be reactive when various challenges arise.<\/p>\n

    Here is an example of a vision statement we can use:<\/p>\n

    ‘We want to produce self-sufficient athletes who can embrace the demands of being a professional athlete while delivering their best when it matters the most.’<\/em><\/p>\n

    Success is clear. There is no ambiguity, and everyone involved in the program can align around this vision.<\/p>\n

    Capturing your philosophy <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Secondly, having a philosophy about how we will achieve the vision is vital. This is more about ‘how’ we will approach the work and what will guide the delivery of the program. This should capture and reflect our broader high-performance beliefs around growth and development.<\/p>\n

    There is an equation we can use to help us define this.<\/p>\n

    High Performance = Capability \u2013 Interference<\/p>\n

    This definition poses a critical question for everyone in the performance space.<\/p>\n

    As asked above, when finding the most effective way to develop our people, do we focus on increasing capability or reducing interference as a primary strategy?<\/p>\n

    We can all think of coaches who start a review with clips about poor aspects of the team\u2019s performance and it is normal for players to have those aforementioned work-ons at the beginning of each week.<\/p>\n

    This is not to say that there is no place for this, but we select players because of what they can do. It\u2019s their strengths and their ability to impact the game that make them valuable members of a team. Furthermore, if all we give them are areas of their game to work on and if they change week by week depending on their game, then we endanger development through inconsistency.<\/p>\n

    Whatever your agreed approach to mental performance, it should align with our overall performance philosophy and beliefs about how to get the most out of the people we lead.<\/p>\n

    The right framework<\/strong><\/p>\n

    With the vast nature of subjects and focus areas within sports psychology, it is often daunting for providers and teams to know where to start. However, a simple framework can create a strategic approach that brings clarity and direction to the work. This prevents the provider from bouncing around different subjects weekly and not building anything of substance.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    The framework above is anchored in the philosophy introduced previously, which states mental skills exist to help people grow and maximise their capability. It intentionally starts with foundational subjects that build upon each other. The reason for this is linked to the growing prominence of the mental side of performance. With more discussions occurring, more articles being written, and the emergence of social media, there is a danger of replacing foundations with tools.<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s what I mean: subjects like mindfulness, breathing, and visualisation are helpful and, in some cases, necessary. However, they are just tools that can help under pressure. Dealing with pressure will be much more effective if these tools are married to other critical mental skills. This framework aims to introduce these skills systematically and purposely so the athlete is well equipped for the various challenges they will face. From experience, athletes who know how to grow themselves and their mindset find pressure, something they can face and overcome. Giving a few tools won\u2019t accomplish that.<\/p>\n

    Grow yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The first aspect of the framework lays the foundation for mental performance. When discussing this with an athlete, we can introduce and define it by asking five questions.<\/p>\n

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    1. Why<\/em><\/strong> do you play the sport? (Purpose)<\/li>\n
    2. Wha<\/em><\/strong>t are you trying to accomplish? (Goals and aspirations)<\/li>\n
    3. How<\/em><\/strong> will you get there? (Creating a performance plan)<\/li>\n
    4. When<\/em><\/strong> will you do the work? (Self-management and Ownership)<\/li>\n
    5. Who<\/em><\/strong> is in your circle? (Support)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Purpose:<\/strong>\u00a0We want athletes connected to a purpose that fuels their performance. Every athlete will face challenging periods throughout their career, whether it\u2019s injury, non-selection, or a loss of form; there are moments where doubt emerges that can potentially derail their journey. Being connected to why they play the sport and accessing that passion provides perseverance and focus during these difficult times.<\/p>\n

      Goals:<\/strong> Knowing what you are trying to accomplish is vital for any athlete. To understand this, here is a simple analogy. When we want to get somewhere in our vehicles, we set the destination in our GPS. We do this so we don\u2019t get lost and waste time getting to where we want to. This is the same for an athlete; without clear goals, they can spend much time going in different directions and not get closer to their desired destination.<\/p>\n

      Planning:<\/strong>\u00a0Once we know where we are going, we must understand how we will get there. This is where a good plan is invaluable. To continue the analogy above, a GPS provides clear steps so we arrive at the right place at the right time. Many athletes set goals and fail to determine what they must do to get there. A performance roadmap creates a focus on the right areas of development that will be critical to achieving what the athlete has set out to do<\/p>\n

      Ownership:<\/strong> I was recently asked what characteristics are shared among the best athletes I have worked with. Though there are many that they share, one sticks out. They take ownership of their careers. They drive the different aspects of performance and see those around them as key supporters. They don\u2019t make excuses or play \u201cvictim\u201d if things don\u2019t go their way. One key aspect of this is how they use their time; they have a weekly schedule that is linked to the goals they have and the plans they have in place. They are purposeful and hold themselves accountable.<\/p>\n

      Support: <\/strong>The final aspect of growing yourself is about support. Throughout their career, athletes will have numerous and different perspectives offered by coaches, support staff, and agents. They need to be clear about what voices are essential. Having a clear support circle is critical so they stay on track and have the encouragement to get where they want to be.<\/p>\n

      Grow your mindset <\/strong><\/p>\n

      The second aspect of the framework is grow your mindset. American psychologist Michael Gervais defines mindset as \u201chow we see ourselves and the world we live in.\u201d This is critical for athletes. Here are a few examples of the power of the mindset<\/p>\n

      Constant Improvement:\u00a0<\/strong>Are athletes focused on getting better every day? Do they have a process in place to achieve this? Can they be consistent regardless of what happened the day or week before? Can they manoeuvre through the highs and lows of the game and remain anchored to their pursuit of being their best? They can reduce all the noise of competing by returning to a simple question: \u201cHow do I get better today?\u201d<\/p>\n

      Opportunity-focused: <\/strong>Do they view themselves as competent, and is it an opportunity to express themselves? Or do they see themselves as imposters, and is the game a place where they get exposed? One mindset produces trust and excitement, while the other produces doubt and anxiety, both significantly impacting performance.<\/p>\n

      Antifragile:\u00a0<\/strong>Author Nassim Nicholas Taleb defines antifragility ‘as something beyond resilience or robustness. The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better.’ This is particularly relevant for athletes, as adversity, disappointment, and failure are common obstacles they will face. Do they see this as something that destroys them or something they can learn from and be better than ever? Their mindset towards challenges is a significant indicator of future decline or growth.<\/p>\n

      Growing under pressure<\/strong><\/p>\n

      The final aspect of the framework is how we deal with pressure. Most people see pressure as something to be avoided at all costs. Certain situations cause deeply uncomfortable feelings. Without the right strategy, pressure can feel unmanageable and, at times, paralysing. For athletes, there is no option to avoid pressure if they want to be successful. Therefore, they must have the tools to approach it confidently and believe it is a place where they can succeed.<\/p>\n

      As mentioned above, there are many practices and tools related to pressure. Once we have the foundations in place, they are valuable. For the sake of brevity, I won\u2019t go into all the tools, but there is a clear outcome no matter what we use.<\/p>\n

      We want to be able to deliver our best when it matters the most.<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Below are three things we can focus on to help our athletes be at their best in the big moments<\/p>\n

      1. Get calm:<\/strong>\u00a0Under pressure, the nervous system can cause chaos. Our minds begin to race, and our bodies react. Our first port of call is getting calm so we can deal with the moment in front of us.<\/p>\n

      2. Get clear:<\/strong> Once we are calm, we need to manage our focus. Often, under pressure, there is a temptation to go to the outcome of a game or the consequence of getting things wrong. We want to eliminate that distraction and focus on the task at hand.<\/p>\n

      3. Let go: <\/strong>The final reality that can help us when pressure is present is letting go. This requires us to trust what we have at that moment and surrender. The more we try to control, the less instinctive we will become. Athletes are at their best when they are free, trust their skillset, and play what\u2019s in front of them.<\/p>\n

      In conclusion, a mental performance program will only be effective if there is a clear strategy behind it. Here are a few questions to help stimulate this:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Do you have a clear vision for the program?<\/li>\n
      2. What philosophies will undergird and guide the work?<\/li>\n
      3. What framework is best for your team?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Further reading from Aaron Walsh:<\/strong><\/p>\n

        <\/p>\n

        Why the Upswell in Demand for Mental Skills Is Not Being Translated into Effective Work<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n