Team Talk: 4 Characteristics of Successful Teams

Greet the team and introduce yourself. Thank the coaches for allowing you to share today.

I want to start today’s talk with a quick word association. What is the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the words, “successful team?” (Allow several players to respond and ask them why that particular thought came to mind when thinking of a successful team.)

Today, we are going to take a few minutes to discuss four key characteristics of successful teams. To help us remember these four characteristics, we will use a key word in each characteristic that will eventually spell out the word “TEAM.” Hopefully, these will be helpful for you as you continue your season.

At the end of our talk, there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions and provide feedback on what we discussed today. Let’s jump right in, with the letter “T.”

Key Characteristic #1: Successful Teams Share a TEAM-FIRST Commitment.

Maybe you’ve heard the expressions, “teamwork makes the dream work” or “there’s no I in team.” They might sound cheesy, but there is some truth to these adages. Few things can derail a team’s success more than focusing on individual success above the good of the team.

Individual goals are great. They motivate us to work hard and improve. But sometimes, a player may need to lay aside their personal goals, play a different position, or run plays that showcase someone else. If a team is really committed to team-first success, then individual players will give their best effort in whatever role they are asked to fill, for the overall good of the team.

Perhaps no team in recent history has better demonstrated this team-first approach than the New England Patriots, who appeared in nine Super Bowls between 2001 and 2018, winning six! Much of the team’s success has been attributed to something known as “The Patriot Way.”

Former Patriot Rob Ninkovich describes “The Patriot Way” in the following way:

“The way that [Coach] Bill [Belichick] coaches his team [is to put] the team first, not selfish, doing what’s best for the team, putting the team’s goals in front of your own personal goals.” ¹

Even Tom Brady, widely considered the greatest NFL quarterback of all time, embodied “The Patriot Way,” adjusting his game and laying his ego aside for the greater success of the team. In the end, the New England Patriots constructed one of the greatest dynasties in the history of sports. Successful teams share a TEAM-FIRST commitment.

The letter “E” is for “Eyes.”

Key Characteristic #2: Successful Teams Keep Their EYES On The Prize.

Talk to any successful athlete and you will quickly learn that to achieve success on the field, they have lived lives of extraordinary commitment, discipline, and sacrifice, always keeping their eyes on the prize and prioritizing long-term success over short-term gratification.

In high school, Peyton and Eli Manning could often be found on their high school football field throwing with their dad and older brother at 5:00 a.m.

As a teenager, Clint Dempsey, the all-time leading scorer for US Men’s Soccer, commuted three hours each way from his small town to train with a more competitive team in Dallas.

Serena Williams follows a strict diet and exercise regimen that has allowed her to excel at the highest level of women’s tennis for over two decades!

Each of these athletes, and other greats like them, understood the value of forgoing short-term reward for the greater satisfaction of reaching long-term goals.

What are some practical examples of ways that high school athletes can choose long-term success over instant gratification? (Allow several players to share their thoughts and discuss.)

A few examples are the following:

Diet/Exercise – To achieve optimum performance on the field, it is important to “fuel” your body with proper nutrition, not just “fill” it with whatever is tasty or convenient.
Sleep – Athletes require adequate rest to stay mentally and physically sharp. To be at your best, you may have to say “no” to some social opportunities, late night movies, video games, or mindlessly scrolling through your phone to get the rest you need to perform.
Social life – Social connection is a must for all people, especially high school students. But it will be super important that you consider who you spend your time with and what types of things you are doing. Many high school athletes have derailed their athletic careers by simply making poor choices in their social lives.
Academics – Sometimes, student-athletes place a disproportionate emphasis on the “athlete” part while neglecting the importance of being a “student.” Every team has eligibility requirements to be able to play, so it will be critically important that your academics remain a top priority.

To be a successful team will require that players keep their eyes on the prize and prioritize long-term goals over short-term instant gratification, often saying “no” to the good, to say “yes” to the best. It will mean occasionally “missing out” on what you think you want right now to achieve what you want more in the long run. If being a successful team is your goal, however, it will be worth it.

Ok, we’re halfway home. We have discussed “T,” a TEAM-FIRST commitment and “E,” keeping our EYES on the prize. The next letter is “A,” which brings us to our third key characteristic – ACCOUNTABILITY.

“Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” John Wooden

Key Characteristic #3: Successful Teams Create a Culture of Mutual ACCOUNTABILITY.

Accountability means clearly defining standards and expectations for the team and then holding one another to those standards. Without good accountability, it will be impossible to maintain a team-first commitment or consistently keep our eyes on the prize

In 2008, legendary Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski was asked to coach the US Men’s Olympic basketball team. Prior to the Olympics, Coach K gathered his players and had them define the standards for how the team would operate and what they hoped to achieve. He then told his players, “Once you establish the standards, I as the coach will make sure you live up to those standards.”

A few weeks later, Kobe Bryant deviated from those standards when he took several selfish, low-percentage shots in a game against Australia. At that point in his career, Kobe Bryant was a three-time NBA champion and one of the best players in NBA history. His resume and “mamba mentality” made him the “alpha” of the team, but even he was not above accountability.

Coach K met with Kobe and shared some video from the game, including several examples of questionable shots, and pointed out his teammates standing around and watching him on some drives to the basket. Krzyzewski told Bryant to his face that these were “[b.s.] shots.” Coach K added: “There has to be more movement.” And then he held his breath. Bryant looked at Krzyzewski and said, “I got it, Coach. I got it. Don’t worry about it. Sorry about that.”²Two and a half weeks later, the United States basketball team won Olympic gold.

Accountability means lovingly bringing it to a teammate’s or coach’s attention when they fail to uphold team standards. It also means encouraging and motivating others to continue reaching for those standards when they face obstacles or adversity. Accountability does not need to be harsh, but it needs to be consistent and apply to everyone. We will all need help to maintain the focus and discipline to uphold team standards, and we all need support and encouragement to “get back in the saddle” when we fail to do so.

Alright, so we have “T,” a TEAM-FIRST commitment, “E,” EYES on the prize, and “A” for ACCOUNTABILITY. The final key characteristic begins with an “M.” It’s our “MINDSET,” specifically, a growth mindset.

Key Characteristic #4: Successful Teams Embrace a Growth MINDSET.

At the beginning of our talk, I asked you what first came to mind when you heard the words, “successful team.” (Feel free to modify this portion to reflect the discussion at the beginning of the talk.) Many of the things we came up with, and many of the teams that we have been talking about, centered around tremendous winning records, but being “successful” is about so much more than winning games.

At the end of the year, only one team will be crowned champions. Does that mean that every other team is “unsuccessful?” No way! There are many ways to measure success, even if you don’t take home the title.

Successful teams operate with something called a growth mindset. Author and psychiatrist Carol Dweck differentiates between what she calls a “fixed mindset” and a “growth mindset.” A fixed mindset believes we are born with a certain set of skills and abilities. It emphasizes results, and the goal is to minimize failures and setbacks, because each one exposes a flaw in our “fixed” ability.

A growth mindset, on the other hand, believes that skills can be learned, and abilities can be developed through practice and hard work. The emphasis is on the process more than the outcome, and setbacks are viewed as opportunities to grow.⁴In the growth mindset, there is always room for improvement and failure is never fatal, because failure can teach us and set us up for future success!

John Wooden led the UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team to an incredible 10 national championships in 12 years and is widely considered one of the greatest coaches of all-time. Listen to this quote from Coach Wooden:

“Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”⁵

Clearly, Coach Wooden understood and embraced the growth mindset, and his teams experienced great success on the court and in life, as they continued to take risks, seek out challenges, and embrace setbacks as opportunities to grow.

In the growth mindset, there is always room for improvement and failure is never fatal, because failure can teach us and set us up for future success!

Wrap Up

To recap, we’ve talked about four characteristics of successful teams today:

T: Successful teams share a TEAM-FIRST commitment.
E: Successful teams keep their EYES on the prize.
A: Successful teams create a culture of mutual ACCOUNTABILITY.
M: Successful teams embrace a growth MINDSET.

Thank you so much for giving me your time and attention today. I want to take just a few minutes to answer any questions you might have. (Allow players/coaches to ask questions.)

I do have just one favor to ask. We’re going to pass out some brief comment cards. We would love it if you could take about two minutes to give us some honest feedback about the talk today. It is always helpful for us to know what students find most helpful, as well as what topics you might be interested in hearing about.

I also want to invite you to another, voluntary event we will be having (insert event details here). You see, we believe that people are three dimensional, meaning that they have a physical component, a mental component, and a spiritual component. We also believe that to be the very best version of yourself on the field and in life, it’s important to care for all three dimensions of our lives.

Cru is an organization that supports students who are interested in developing the spiritual side of their lives. Addi (Cru student leader) has been involved for the past four years; she and our Cru staff team would love to talk to anyone who is interested in hearing a bit more about Cru and how we seek to serve students in our community. If anyone is interested, we will (insert event details here) and share a little bit more about Cru and how our faith can help us to be more successful on and off the field.

There is a place on the card where you can provide your contact information if you would like a reminder text about this event. Thanks, guys/ladies. Best of luck on the remainder of your season.

Next Step

Prepare and use this talk as part of a team talk strategy for your campus.

Team Talk Strategy

5 Key Features of the Claim Your Campus App

Pray Now:
This section is designed to lead any student through a daily 15-minute prayer time for their school. The format is simple: Listen, Thank, Ask. Each day students read a passage of scripture, thank God for something specific He is doing in their school, and ask Him for help at their school and schools across the country.

21-Day Challenge:
Habits take time to build. The 21-Day Challenge can help you and your students build the habit of praying together daily.

Share Your Story:
Students from all over the country are using Claim Your Campus at their schools. This video feature gives students one minute to capture what God is doing at their school and then share it.

Groups:
Use the Groups section to form your own prayer group and/or join other groups. Students praying together in community for their school(s) is the foundation of CYC. The group feature keeps students connected, motivated, and encouraged to keep pressing on!

Prayer Walk Your Campus:
This feature describes how to prayer walk a campus in three easy steps. Invite. Pray. Report. It includes a brief tutorial and a downloadable prayer walk guide.

Social Media:
Stay connected through Tik Tok, Instagram, and Youtube pages; News and Updates can also be found in the app.

Cast the Vision: Prayer Equals Change

Use these videos to get excited about how God could change your campus through prayer and how He could use you to build a prayer movement at your school.
General Promo video
Marion School video

Invite Students to Be One in the Million

Students download the app using the QR code graphic & claim their campus!

We encourage all campus movements to emphasize prayer and the Claim Your Campus app is a great way to engage students in prayer.

4 Different Ways Students Can Claim Their Campus

Start a Weekly Prayer Group. The CYC app provides prompts that change weekly.
Host a prayer walk around your campus. The CYC app features a Prayer Walk Guide.
Embed 5-10 minutes of Prayer into Your Weekly Cru Club Meeting. Build a CULTURE of prayer. CYC has done all the work for you. Click here for the Leader’s Guide and here for premade slides for up to 20 weeks. That is enough for an entire school year. CYC’s GRAB-N-GO resources make praying EASY.
Participate in Annual National Events such as SYATP.

Invite the adults in your community to support SYATP by signing up for The Prayer Walk Project. This project offers a way for caring adults to join hands in prayer on the Saturdays before and after SYATP.

Prayer is the real power in any campus movement. Make it a non-negotiable in your ministry to emphasize prayer with adults and students and see how God moves.

Next Step

Download the Claim Your Campus app and consider how you could use it on your campus today. Do you have a prayer strategy for your plans? If not, send the app to a few student leaders and invite them to start praying for their campus!

DOWNLOAD THE APP

4 Ways to Prepare for a Prayer Walk

Prepare Your Heart

Surrender the Prayer Walk to the Lord. Ask the Lord for one or two scriptures to help prepare your heart. Jot them down. If you like, use them to inspire the people you invite, or share them with your team the day you meet to prayer walk. Pray for:

Divine appointments with people.
Connections with insiders at the school who are like-minded and willing to help.
God to guide your steps.
Open eyes to see the spiritual needs of the campus.

Prepare Your Team

Pray for Names. Ask the Lord to bring to mind specific names of students, volunteers, parents, pastors, and/or faculty you can ask to join your prayer walk. Keep in mind, this is not about numbers. Even one prayer partner is enough. Matthew 18:20 says, “Where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.”

Invite the People that He brought to mind. Decide what mode of communication is best: text? social media? phone call? Give them a brief description of what a prayer walk is and what they can expect that day. Share what has motivated you to gather a team to pray. Be sure to tell them the date, the start and end times, and the location. Give them an RSVP date.

Send them any final details on the day before. Remind your team what time you will begin and end and the location to meet. Let them know what to bring and any adjustments needed due to weather or other factors.

(During a Prayer Walk) Pray for: Divine appointments with people. Connections with insiders at the school who are like-minded and willing to help. God to guide your steps. Open eyes to see the spiritual needs of the campus.

Prepare Your Campus

Check with an Insider at Your School. Once you choose your campus and gather your team, you may want to check with an insider at the school to see if there is anyone you need to notify ahead of time. Most likely, it will not be an issue if you are prayer walking after school or over the weekend on the parts of the campus that are open to the public. Avoid prayer walking on campus during school hours without permission.

Prepare Your Details

“WHO” DETAILS: By now, you know WHO is coming. But here are some other “WHO” questions to think about if you have a larger group. Who will…

begin the prayer walk (introduce/explain it)?
end the prayer walk?
lead smaller groups (if your team is large)?

“WHAT TO BRING” DETAILS: You may want to bring copies of the Prayer Guide and the Leader Guide.

“WHERE/WHEN” DETAILS: Make sure everyone knows the date and time you will meet. Include starting point (address of meeting spot) and ending point (time and meeting spot).

“HOW” DETAILS: For your convenience, this Campus Prayer Walk Leader’s Guide provides a general flow and includes sample scripts of what to say from start to finish. If you can read it, you can lead it. But you may need to think through the unique needs of your prayer walk.

Would you like the prayer walk to be more casual or more organized? Do you have people who are comfortable prayer walking or more new people who may need more instruction?

You have prepared your part. Time to grab your walking shoes. Let’s do this!

Next Step

It is time to get on the campus to pray. Text one friend today and ask them if they would be willing to go to the school to prayer walk with you this week. Get your feet on the campus and pray together. Once you have done it yourself, it will be a lot easier to gather others to do it with you.

Prayer Walking

After the Israelites wandered for 40 years in the desert, God called Joshua to bring His people into the land He had promised them. The commander of the army of the Lord appeared to Joshua with instructions essentially for a prayer walk around the city of Jericho. And let’s just say the Israelites’ obedience to his words, made history. (If you are unfamiliar with this incredible story, you can read the whole story here.)

What is Prayer Walking?

Prayer walking is just what it sounds like—praying as you walk. And you can do it anywhere: around your neighborhood, through your city, or even on your daily commute. Invite others to join you! As you walk together, let the Spirit of God use what you see to guide your prayers. Then, trust God to respond in His perfect way and timing.

One of the most impactful places for a prayer walk is around a school campus that means something to you. It puts you right where the students are—like God’s boots on the ground—allowing you to connect your heart to that specific location as you pray. And who knows? It might even lead to a chance meeting with a key person on campus. Many ministries have started with a simple “Hey there!” to a student or administrator during a prayer walk. A casual stroll can open unexpected doors!

If you have never done this before, no worries! Joshua—the young leader from the Bible—had not done it before either. It was his willingness and availability to God that mattered most. And the same goes for you—no experience required!

Prayer walking is just what it sounds like—praying as you walk.

Prayer Walk in Three Easy Steps

Meet Up (5 minutes)

Grab a friend or two and meet on campus- ideally after school or on the weekend. Select and read a meaningful passage from the Bible together. Take a minute to pray a blessing over this time, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide your prayers.

Walk & Pray (10-20 minutes)

Start walking the perimeter of the campus and let the Holy Spirit use who/what you see guide your prayers. Here are 5 ways you could begin praying:

Ask God to move by His Spirit on this campus and be glorified.
Pray people here would hunger and thirst for God.
Pray for the believers here to live wholeheartedly for Jesus and make others feel seen, known, and loved by God.
Pray for leaders in this school’s community (students, parents, administration, faculty, coaches, etc.)

Wrap It Up (5 minutes)

Select a spot to close your time together. Talk about how it went. Was there anything that stood out as significant or meaningful? Take a few minutes to thank God for this time. Express your love for Him and your confidence that He will respond to the prayers He heard today.

Other Prayer Walking Guides

If you would rather have a more specific guide to help you in your prayer walk, try one below:

CYC Prayer Walk Guide
Locations on Campus Prayer Walking Guide
The Launchbox Prayer Walking Guide
Make a list of prayer requests to pray about your specific campus
Just invite people to pray for things that come to mind as they walk

One of the most impactful places for a prayer walk is around a school campus that means something to you.

Why Do It?

Prayer Walking Knocks Down Walls

What effect did Joshua’s and the Israelites’ obedience have on the fortified and powerful ancient city of Jericho? Well, the God of the Universe infused their faith-filled feet with power, causing the otherwise insurmountable walls of the city to collapse. That’s how they fought and won the battle of Jericho—without ever throwing a punch!

Now, maybe you are not planning to tear down any physical walls around your school—in fact, let’s definitely avoid that! But in the spiritual realm, every school is a battlefield for souls. On every campus, there are barriers to the gospel that need to be broken down. Inside every person, there are walls that separate us from God or keep us from fully experiencing the abundant life He wants for us.

Looking for a more current example of a battle fought and won with prayer? Check out this powerful story of what happened when a group of students in Marion, Indiana consistently and prayerfully put feet to their faith and watched God win the battle for their campus. If you want to read about more victories won with praying feet, check out Exodus 14 and 2 Chronicles 20:1-30.

Some Other Great Reasons to Prayer Walk Your Campus

It is a place to gather other believers who have a heart for the campus.
It is a way to be on campus with a purpose.
Sometimes God uses these times to introduce us to key gatekeepers on campus.
It might surface some needs on the campus with which you could help.
It helps your team become more familiar with the campus and less fearful of going there.
It is better than doing nothing. Sometimes God moves when we take action.

Within the campus ministry of Cru, prayer walking has actually been shown to be the single most effective strategy in seeing new gospel movements started.
– Dan Allen, Director of Mission Expansion

The powerful presence of God always has and STILL does mix with our prayers and supernaturally connects us more deeply to God, ourselves, and others. Prayer breaks down barriers that lie between us and wins the battle for souls.

Prayer walking can be your lead foot on any campus. Ready to grab a friend and step into the unknown with Him? Prayer walking is something anyone can do.

Next Step

Plan 15 minutes this week to stop at your local high school, walk around, and pray for the school. Bring a friend or do it alone; just get your feet on the campus and pray. Ask God to show you what next steps He would like you to take.