Building a successful team is more than just assembling a group of talented individuals. It takes a thoughtful approach, deep connection, a commitment to growth and high performance, and a clear mission. Malia Shoji, the Head Volleyball Coach at UNLV and a former Associate Head Coach at University of Utah, understands this well. Her journey in coaching has been about more than just wins and losses; it's been about shaping a culture and program that reflects her values and beliefs. Through her experiences, she has developed a framework for building and nurturing a successful team.
3 Key Ingredients to Building an Amazing Team
1. Deep Connection
Malia believes that the foundation of an amazing team is a deep connection. She emphasizes authenticity, vulnerability, and alignment as key elements of this connection. For her, it's about creating an environment where team members feel comfortable being themselves and where they can rely on each other. This deep connection forms the basis for trust and collaboration, essential ingredients for any successful team.
- Authenticity: Malia emphasizes the importance of authenticity in building deep connections. She encourages her players and staff to be themselves, showing their true selves without pretense.
- Vulnerability: Being vulnerable is another key aspect of deep connection. Malia believes in creating an environment where individuals feel safe to express their struggles and ask for help.
- Alignment: It's essential for team members to align with the team's values and goals. Malia values players who are fully engaged and aligned with the team's mission, even in tough times.
2. Commitment to Growth
Another crucial aspect of Malia's approach is a commitment to growth and high performance. She recognizes that growth is a lifelong journey and encourages her team to embrace challenges and learn from their experiences. This commitment to growth extends to the team's performance on the court, where they strive to constantly improve and push themselves to new heights.
- Lifelong Learning: Malia instills a commitment to lifelong learning in her team. She believes that growth is not just about immediate improvements but also about continuously striving to be better.
- Investment in Others: She encourages her team to invest in helping their teammates grow, fostering a culture of mutual support and development.
3. Clear Mission
Aligned goals and a clear mission are also fundamental to Malia's approach. She believes that a team must have a shared vision and purpose to be successful. By constantly striving to do things the program has never done before, Malia instills a sense of purpose and ambition in her team, motivating them to achieve greatness.
- Setting Goals: Malia emphasizes the importance of setting clear, ambitious goals. She believes that constantly striving to achieve new milestones is key to building a successful team.
- Make History: In her coaching, Malia sets the goal of constantly doing things the program has never done before. This mindset pushes her team to new heights and creates a legacy of success.
Malia has defined above three values as the key ingredients to building an amazing team. But values alone are not enough: living those values through everyday behavior, recognizing breakthrough moments and knowing what good looks like are keys to BEING an amazing team, versus simply becoming one for a short period. To Malia and UNLV, the following practices have become foundations of their culture:
Recognition and Rewards
- Value Awards: Malia gives out value awards to her team, recognizing players who have achieved high levels of performance in a particular season.
- Butterfly Moments: To recognize growth and commitment, she uses tangible rewards like a physical paper butterfly awarded to players who demonstrate significant growth and improvement.
Development Pyramid
- Foundational Skills: Malia has created a development pyramid to guide her players' growth. Starting with foundational skills in their freshman year, she helps them progress to become program changers by the time they graduate. With the grounding of the development pyramid, players always know what is expected of them, where they stand and how to get to the next level. The pyramid also helps outline the journey ahead of each player, helping teach them that nothing worthwhile takes time and that growth is a long process.
- Program Changers: At the top of the pyramid are program changers, players who have mastered the foundational skills and can positively impact the team's success.
Feedback and Accountability
- Clear Feedback: Malia believes in providing clear, non-judgmental feedback to her players. She uses tools like the development pyramid to help players understand where they need to improve.
- Accountability: Holding players accountable for their actions and behaviors is crucial. Malia emphasizes the importance of being reliable and committed to the team's success.
Recruitment and Culture Fit
- Recruiting for Culture: Malia recruits players who not only have the skills but also fit into the team's culture. She believes that recruiting the right athletes is instrumental in building a successful team.
Malia's approach to building an amazing team is rooted in her values of deep connection, growth, and high performance. By fostering an environment of trust, embracing challenges, and setting ambitious goals, she has created a culture that empowers her team to be their best selves. Her dedication to these principles has not only led to success on the court but has also had a profound impact on the lives of her athletes, helping them grow into confident, resilient individuals. In Malia's eyes, building an amazing team is not just about winning games; it's about building a community of support, growth, and excellence.
