The performance of a team rises and falls on behavior. Our behavior is either intentional (Above the Line) or impulsive (Below the Line). Above the Line behavior is purposeful, intentional and skillful. It takes tremendous mental toughness to consistently stay Above the Line.
How can we intentionally focus on staying Above the Line? We've adopted a simple equation to live by from Urban Meyer's book Above the Line: "E+R=O"
Event (See the situation with clarity) +
Response (What above the line action do you need to take?) =
Outcome (Be exceptionally clear about the outcome you are pursuing)
"I own my Response!" We call this the R-Factor. We don’t always control the events in life, and we don’t directly control the outcomes; but we always control how we respond. Therefore, our goal is to make our Response stronger than any Event that we might encounter.
In doing so, we must develop a growth mindset:
Embrace discomfort
Strive to be our best (Compete!)
Positive self-talk
Every team faces many kinds of adversity. Mediocre teams are destroyed by it. Good teams survive it. And great teams get better because of it. We like to say, "A hammer shatters glass, but forges steel."
If what you are doing isn’t working, change it. Don’t blame the Event, instead, choose a better Response. The best teams are exceptional at adjusting and adapting to change.
Your Response is an Event for others (You might want to stop and think about that concept:) Your attitude and behaviors have a profound impact on your teammates and your coaches. The quality of your relationships is determined by how you choose to manage your Response.
What kind of Events are you giving to your teammates and coaches? Make a difference and take complete ownership of the experience you give to your teammates and the contribution you make to the culture of the team:
The way you manage your Response matters not just to you, but to the guys around you.
The experience you give to others may be the single most important element of teamwork.
Remember, you will be no better as a TEAM than you are to each other. Do your absolute best to make the people around you better. Obviously, E+R=O applies to hundreds and hundreds of events each and every day; but let's close with an "Above the Line" on the court "Next Play" example by Lebron himself: