“Great leaders use storytelling to get their message across,” says MRP Ambassador, Tim Horan. And this is a vital quality that we aim to instil in our PlayerMentors to interact, engage and communicate with their MRP Players. This week is all things ‘Storytelling’, so to all our PlayerMentors, we encourage you to embrace this skill – you will witness how it aids your coaching abilities!
To all of our PlayerMentors, keep up the great work with responding to your Leadership Program videos and respective questions – they are the key to your success.
Here is this week’s – ‘Responses of the Week’ – There were just too many great answers to pick one this week:
Q: How is Gratitude useful in a team? Give 2 examples of where it applies for you?
A:1 Gratitude to me means that I am being thankful and showing appreciate no matter how big or small the gesture is. It also means that I am ready to return kindness through any action whether that may be saying thank you more often or telling someone face to face how much they mean to me. Gratitude is a significant part in life and without it you may live a lonely life. One of my favourite quotes about gratitude is "The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.” - Albert Einstein
A:2 Gratitude helps a team keep their heads up and keep trying to score one more try, when your losing. Gratitude also helps a team when there wining, it stops them from getting cocky, it helps the team stay modest. I think these two examples apply to me.
A:3 Gratitude is useful in a team as it eliminates the potential for entitlement and expression of gratitude makes team members and the people around me feel valued and appreciated which builds positivity and creates unity. Gratitude applies to me in my workplace, as it takes a team to run a business and when certain people radiate a sense of superiority and entitlement, it leaves the rest of the team feeling inferior and unwanted. Receiving gratitude when I've assisted someone at work - customer or team member - or when I give gratitude to a team member or customer for assistance or raising my attention to an issue, gratitude becomes so useful as it shows my appreciation for their input, suggestions and assistance. Another example of where gratitude applies for me would be my social life. Whether I'm at Uni, at Rugby, with friends or with my family, expressing gratitude for having these things and people in my life is very important to me. When there is minimal possibility of being able to express my gratitude in a physical, monetary, or material way, I always endeavour/attempt to express and show my gratitude to those I love, respect, admire and aspire to be.
A:4 The first example is when I express my gratitude to the coach or other mentors when they do something for me, for example taking care of my player for a moment or asking their player's to pass the ball. This is useful as it develops a strong network of support and teamwork among all the mentors, coaches and players.
The second example is praising my player, this provides him with the pride and motivation he needs to keep on trying. Sometimes, it is easy for my player to give up, as he gets tired easily and does not believe that he is 'good enough'. However, when I encourage him and he achieves a tag or a try, he runs more, tags more and is evidently more participative in the game.
A:5 At MRP, I believe it is important to show gratitude for both the more noticeable things and the seemingly insignificant things. An example of something significant is when I ask Seb to run part of a drill. I am grateful because I can then go and assist a player who needs it. However, I am equally grateful when Seb goes out of his way to pick up cones/balls after a session when I’m talking to a parent. Whilst it may be something very small, I appreciate it a lot.
A:6 By giving praise it creates empowerment in a player
When you showed the MRP players the team cheer and everyone got in and did it for the first time " brothers 123" You could see the happiness on the kids’ faces and they felt part of something for the first time
Whenever my coach gives me praise for the hard work I have done during the match it makes me work even harder the next time
A:7 gratitude is helpful in a team as when there is genuine positivity on and off the field, team and
individual confidence is lifted. gratitude in a team is what team sports and team work is really
all about.
one example of where this applies for me is being grateful towards the coach and managers,
they give up their own time and contribute positively for our own benefit. I believe that it is a
very selfless thing to do and a perfect way of showing gratitude towards what thee sport creates
within the players.
another example is after a game being able to say one or more positive things about another
player shows genuine praise and a grateful attitude for having them as a team mate, this idea
that is implemented at mrp game days is definitely something that I will implement in my
seasons from here on out. I have seen the confidence and appreciation from the players,
mentors, parents and coaches. its the simple things that make the biggest difference.
Happy Thursday from the MRP Team!