Peer Reviews: Revealing Selfless and Selfish Effort

Selfless effort can be an accelerator for talented teams. Selfish effort, on the other hand, can rot a team’s culture from the inside out. When selfish effort is present, the leader or coach is often one of the last to know. Rest assured, team members know exactly who is selfless vs selfish. Often, selfish effort is masked by outstanding talent. If one knows what to look for, identifying selfish effort and eliminating it is possible. However, like a weed in a garden, selfish effort can return.

At a recent football practice, I listened to a receiver describe an incredible catch he made at the end of a morning practice session. He stated it was the most difficult catch he had ever made in his life. He went on to describe that after that catch, he jumped up, looked around only to notice that no one had even witnessed it.

I asked him, “What did you do when you realized no coach, no player and no one else noticed the effort?” He replied, “Well, I knew what I did and I knew how hard it was, so did the QB — that’s all that mattered. And, I knew we [QB and receiver] got better.” He smiled.

Contrast this with a player who only puts forth effort when he knows or believes others are watching. A coach should listen for subtleties when observing team behavior:

• How does the player arrive to practice?
• Do they have all their gear?
• How do they interact in the parking lot with peers, parents and others?
• Where do they position themselves during drills?
• Are they always aware of where coaches are?
• How do other team members interact with them during breaks or timeouts?

Coaches should watch how team members interact with teammates after success and failure. Body language is crucial — more than half of our communication is non-verbal.

Elite teams are transparent. It’s all about the mission; it’s never personal. In our military, peer reviews are an accepted practice that is part of successful mission accomplishment. Selfish and selfless effort are often revealed during these types of assessments. While peer reviews are an expected part of elite Special Operations units, it is becoming a competitive edge in athletics.

The evolution of peer reviews in athletics has become very predictable. The first time a football team, for example, conducts a peer review, we only begin to scratch the surface of the team dynamics. More information is wanted and we must schedule more periodic peer reviews throughout a season to get a more complete story. Initially, players may be cautious about peer reviews. However, once they see that peer reviews reveal blind spots, calling out both selfless effort and selfish effort — they embrace it as part of their development. Individuals then realize they can’t get away with certain selfish behavior, while others are recognized for their selfless efforts. Once they realize it is actually a competitive edge — they look forward to peer reviews and behavior begins to change.

To learn more about assessing, selecting and developing elite talent (including peer reviews) visit www.HorizonPerformance.com