{"id":819,"date":"2020-05-18T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-18T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/reports\/leaders-virtual-roundtables-supporting-athlete-wellbeing\/"},"modified":"2025-12-15T05:12:18","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T05:12:18","slug":"leaders-virtual-roundtables-supporting-athlete-wellbeing","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/leaders-virtual-roundtables-supporting-athlete-wellbeing\/","title":{"rendered":"Leaders Virtual Roundtables: Supporting Athlete Wellbeing"},"content":{"rendered":"<!-- blocks\/hero-editorial -->\n<!-- inc\/hero-editorial -->\n<div class=\"hero es-hero__editorial hero--var-1\" role=\"banner\">\n\t<div class=\"hero__image\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/app\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/GettyImages-1223617798.jpg);\">\n\n\t\t<div class=\"hero__overlay grad-overlay content-bottom\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero__content\">\n                    \n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero__content__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t                            <p class=\"es-label es-label--md\">\n                                May 18, 2020                            <\/p>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\" class=\"theme-dark hero__back-link back-link es-label es-label--sm\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"icon icon--md icon--arrow-left\"><\/span>Articles<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"hero__title\">Leaders Virtual Roundtables: Supporting Athlete Wellbeing<\/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    <section class=\"es-section theme-light hero__sidebar-wrapper container\">\n        <div class=\"hero__sidebar\">\n                            <div class=\"category-list\">\n                  <div class=\"es-label es-label--sm\">Category<\/div>\n                  <a href=\"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/category\/human-performance\/\" rel=\"tag\">Human Performance<\/a>                <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"share-list\">\n                  <div class=\"es-label es-label--sm\">Share<\/div>\n                  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/leaders-virtual-roundtables-supporting-athlete-wellbeing\/\">Facebook<\/a>\n                  <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/leaders-virtual-roundtables-supporting-athlete-wellbeing\/&#038;text=Leaders Virtual Roundtables: Supporting Athlete Wellbeing\">Twitter<\/a>\n                  <a href=\"mailto:?subject=Here's a Leaders In Sport article for you &amp;body=Check out this article: Leaders Virtual Roundtables: Supporting Athlete Wellbeing. https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/leaders-virtual-roundtables-supporting-athlete-wellbeing\/\">Email<\/a>\n                  <a href=\"#copyLink\" id=\"copyButton\" class=\"copy-link-clipboard\">Copy Link<\/a>\n                  <div id=\"textToCopy\" class=\"font-hidden\">https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/leaders-virtual-roundtables-supporting-athlete-wellbeing\/<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n<!-- blocks\/section -->\n<section\n  class=\"es-section flexible-section  text-only theme-light\"\n    >\n                <div class=\"container\">\n                                    <div class=\"bg-striped-pattern__inner section-padding-top section-padding-bottom\">\n                <div class=\"es-section__inner col-parent col-parent--stack-sm\">\n                                            <div class=\"es-section__sidebar es-section__sidebar--sticky col col--12 \">\n                                                            <p class=\"es-section__label es-label es-label--md\">An online meeting of Leaders Performance Institute members on 7th May.<\/p>\n                            \n                            \n                            \n                                                            <div class=\"es-section__text content-area\">\n                                    <p><p><strong><b>The group discussed:<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Transitioning back into the working environment.<\/li>\n<li>Managing anxiety and creating the right environment for reassurance.<\/li>\n<li>Thinking and processes to find out what we currently don\u2019t know.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><b>Recommended Reading &amp; Listening<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance\/in-2020-emphasis-mental-resilience\/\"><u>In 2020, Place an Emphasis on Building Mental Resilience<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance\/establishing-the-principles-of-positive-psychology\/\"><u>Four Steps Towards Establishing the Principles of Positive Psychology in Your Team<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance\/ais-athlete-engagement-wellbeing\/\"><u>Does Your Team Take Athlete Engagement &amp; Wellbeing Seriously Enough?<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ais.gov.au\/__data\/assets\/pdf_file\/0008\/730376\/35845_AIS-Framework-for-rebooting-sport_FA.pdf\"><u>The AIS Framework for Rebooting Sport in a COVID-19 Environment<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><b>1. Group Challenges &amp; Areas of Interest: <\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How do we normalise the conversation of wellbeing and integrate it into the wider programme?<\/li>\n<li>Reassurance when bringing players and staff come back into the physical environment.<\/li>\n<li>Athletes within different levels of the pathway, how can we support all of those levels even though some may not have the same level of support?<\/li>\n<li>How can we get better in general around athlete wellbeing?<\/li>\n<li>Transition in getting back to play and work \u2013 how do we do that most effectively?<\/li>\n<li>Managing anxiety and return to play.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><b>2. Transitioning back into the physical environment<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It\u2019s difficult to have a definitive plan with the uncertainty, but consider the work you are doing around engagement at this moment in time in preparation for return.<\/li>\n<li>Originally, they players were left alone for a short period. Phase two was bringing them back in on a social basis and now phase three is bringing back into the mindset of rugby operations which is more focused on team and individual analysis. Have you made your transition into step three?<\/li>\n<li>In the military, there is a concept utilised called the \u2018Normalisation Process\u2019 upon returning from a tour. You talk about the feelings you had whilst on that operation, can we use a similar principle? We\u2019ve got to get players engaging in conversation about how they were during this period.<\/li>\n<li>Important to highlight the positives that have come out of this period and try to gain some momentum around those.<\/li>\n<li>Make your support very open and very obvious. It\u2019s important not to force it, especially post this period, but it needs to be made clear that it\u2019s there for the players and staff to utilise.<\/li>\n<li>Creation of \u2018pod systems\u2019 with a smaller number of players who are led by a sports psychologist.<\/li>\n<li>Focusing on the staff is so important \u2013 any pressure or anxiety will feed from them down to the players.<\/li>\n<li>There is a lot of fear in the risk of returning \u2013 ask yourselves, is the process and environment in the best condition for everyone to return?<\/li>\n<li>Educate the players on the social responsibility and cultural challenges for others players and staff.<\/li>\n<li>Control the controllables. We can\u2019t underestimate the importance of individual approaches. This period will have affected people in different ways, so a blanket approach for transitioning isn\u2019t scalable.<\/li>\n<li>In our roles, we have to have to courage and leadership to reassure and educate players and staff. Don\u2019t be afraid to explain the risk factors and how we are going to try to mitigate them.<\/li>\n<li>How do we lead with conflicting information and the amount of uncertainty? The approach to consider is, how would we expect a good environment to look like when we are able to transition back into the physical environment? What are the processes we need to include that are important to make it \u2018look good\u2019. How do we exude confidence in the players?<\/li>\n<li>We can\u2019t overlook that there is concern about what the transition back looks like \u2013 it\u2019s important to educate everyone on why we are doing what we are doing. That clarity is so important.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><b>3. \u2018The stuff we don\u2019t know about, we need to find out\u2019<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It&#8217;s very important to think about concepts around the player and to get them right \u2013 the most important is the player or staff\u2019s family. Do we have a holistic approach for them?<\/li>\n<li>The key is to bring things back to normalisation as quickly as possible.<\/li>\n<li>Sometimes we get too much into the Newtonian physics, because performance at the highest level is a holism. Consider how does the relationship within that system fundamentally support this return?<\/li>\n<li>By having a strong support mechanism of assigning a psychologist and player care professional to groups of players and staff, this has proven to give an advantage by providing immediate insight on which to delve deeper into.<\/li>\n<li>How can we grow compassion and vulnerability in our leadership? Can you utilise some of your leadership group within your environment to highlight their skills related to this \u2013 can they help other players transition back? Use this sense of community to push back into the environmental structure.<\/li>\n<li>Consider creating pods of players that are overseen by a member of your leadership group \u2013set up conversation opportunities around topics to drive openness and vulnerability.<\/li>\n<li>Challenge the players to paint a picture of what the future is going to look like when returning to play. Empower them for their opinions and buy-in as they are key to the ultimate success of the programme: \u2018COVision\u2019.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><b>4. Group Outcomes<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Be honest with what you know and what you don\u2019t. Be transparent, stay connected and be adaptable.<\/li>\n<li>Reframe your thoughts towards the positives.<\/li>\n<li>You may not have the answers but know the right person to guide your athlete towards.<\/li>\n<li>Adding the \u2018Normalising Process\u2019 to your Return to Play protocol. Getting players to share their thoughts and feelings, as well as the positives they\u2019ve found during this period.<\/li>\n<li>Check that your staff are OK and be comfortable to say when you do not know the answer.<\/li>\n<li>Community, compassion, selfishness, optimism and flexibility.<\/li>\n<li>None of us are experts around the pandemic. Normalise the return for the whole group \u2018we are all in a hole together\u2019. We will help each other out of it with communication, compassion and owning the vulnerability.<\/li>\n<li>Reassure that we will find our rhythm again, the same that we have found a rhythm through the lockdown process.<\/li>\n<li>With the focus being on \u2018normalisation\u2019 or the \u2018return to the abnormal\u2019 for the players, looking after and considering the staff as well will be key.<\/li>\n<li>Understand each player\u2019s personal family circumstances and concerns around the return \u2013 the holistic approach around players and staff is crucial.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Could you and your team be making better use of your performance metrics?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If so, then the latest Leaders Performance Institute Special Report, <em>Analyse This: Managing Your Metrics<\/em>, will be right up your street. It features a variety of sports organisations, from the <strong>San Antonio Spurs<\/strong> and <strong>England Netball<\/strong>, to the <strong>Wests Tigers<\/strong> and <strong>Tennis Australia<\/strong>, via <strong>British Skeleton<\/strong>. Download it now.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/info.leadersinsport.com\/l\/285402\/2020-05-04\/9m47w6\"><button>Download Report<\/button><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n                                <\/div>\n                            \n                            \n                            \n                                                    <\/div>\n                                        <div class=\"col visibly-hidden col--flex-align-right\">\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An online meeting of Leaders Performance Institute members on 7th May.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":820,"menu_order":0,"template":"","categories":[21],"pathway":[],"topic":[],"sport":[],"class_list":["post-819","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-human-performance"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.6 - 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