The Challenge:

Managing and maintaining a successful team is composed of many elements.  A blend of an individual's skill level, personality and character into a proper team mixture is always a challenge.  Beside the individual's own needs and goals, team goals must be set in order to achieve team success (how large or small).  Team goals must be set with everyone in total agreement (or as they say, all on the same page).  This builds the foundation for achieving success.

Start with a tiny, obtainable team goal (everyone must be honest when stating these). Ensure that everyone is in total agreement with these.  This builds on achieving the larger team goal.  Attach dates in which to accomplish this; write them all down on paper; and don't lose sight of these goals.  If you don't achieve these in the specified time frame, don't give up, but fine tune the goals and objectives along the way.

Everyone must be responsible to EVERYONE ELSE ON THE TEAM, along with being responsible to one's own actions.  THERE IS NO LETTER 'I' IN THE WORD, 'TEAM'.

• As the team manager/coach, establish some written team guidelines (i.e. compose a master team contact list for everyone; basic player expectations - regarding showing for a game or team function, known absences, advanced notification needed etc.). Compose these guidelines, utilizing input from each team player.
• Instead of phoning everyone on your team when there are game cancellations or changes, develop a team contact system.  Divide the entire team into groups of four, and elect a leader - who will be responsible for each person within their own group.  The group leader ONLY contacts those persons within their own group, saving time; gets the message out promptly and efficiently; and creates a sense of responsibility (teamwork) for everyone.
• Establish team goals.  Based on input from each team player, write these team goals on paper and attach obtainable dates to them.  These team goals can be broken down further into smaller, 'bite-sized', measureable goals.  Again, attach obtainable dates to each of them.
• Always encourage players to assume some team task responsibility.  Examples include team equipment manager, team treasurer, team social events coordinator, and so forth.
• Measure your team's progress towards these goals frequently.  If you are off a little, just fine tune and move forward.  If the goal (s) was a long way off from achievement, then the goal was probably set with too much expectation too soon.  Just fine tune, and move forward.