Teams

It’s hard to be on a team

A social action group or a "team" is constructed when individual’s form a group to achieve a result that could not be accomplished alone. Individual membership in the action group creates several paradoxical situations for the individual.

3 Common Issues:

Often immediate sacrifice is required by the individual to benefit the group.The benefit to the individual is delayed and the benefit is proportionate to the sum benefit of the group. The rising tide lifts all the boats". The cost to the individuals is not bore equally and the benefit to the individual is not always immediately proportionate to the level of individual sacrifice, yet any benefit requires membership in the group.

Individuals can also experience the benefits of the group without making a full contribution or baring the required sacrifices. When individuals try to reduce their sacrifice there is friction with coaches and teammates. 

There may be an immediate incentive to the individual who acts in manner that this is detrimental to the collective good. Individuals can gain a benefit from actions that come with an immediate or delayed expense to the group.

Figure1. Individual agenda’s compete with the good of the group, and these actions are caused by rejecting the sacrfices required (this occures from time to time with indivduals, but is often the same people) 

Figure 2.The manner in which individuals are required to participate to achieve the greatest collective good (how we manage the team and expect individuals to participate)

Figure 3. The reality of being on a team, the common good requires something from everyone and the strain of sacrifice is an under lying current, but this is not a static sistuation the group moves forward on the sacrfices made by the individuals.

Ultimately on a competitive team the coaches will have to make choices that they believe will benefit the greater good. There is natural friction for the individual but players and parents can not let emotions or short term thinking prevail. The logical action in  the game of volleyball dictates that to achieve the maximum benefit you must willingly sacrifice with your team. Ask question in a productive manner when you don't understand the sacrifices being made. You will catch more bee's with honey than vinegar