One week I started my pre-match “few words” to the team I coach by mentioning the Butterfly Effect which pre-framed my point of invitation for the players' thoughts. So (eg) does the flap of a butterfly's wings in Sao Paolo set off series of events to eventually alter the path of a hurricane in the Caribbean?
As thoughts on this were rattling around inside for them, I sprung the 4 Cartesian Questions....and decided to frame them in rugby terms :-
1. What will happen if you do make that tackle / pass?
2. What won't happen if you don't make that tackle / pass?
3. What will happen if you don't make that tackle / pass?
4. What won't happen if you do make that tackle / pass?
So how effective was this?
In terms of performance things went really well, through warm up and overall through the game. There were some momentary slips (as always) but the general level of decision making throughout the team was much, much better. I have not yet asked the players how they felt about the pre-talk (if anything) because most of my talks are a) aimed at the unconscious, and b) are metaphorical and non-motivational. We lost by 1 point to a side who had beaten us convincingly earlier in the season, so in outcome terms there was a huge improvement. We should have won to be fair, but missed 2 kickable penalties in the second half to re-take the lead.
The 4 Cartesian Questions do set up interesting trains of thought for all players especially the inexperienced ones, and it certainly de-focusses their feelings of singularity which is so destructive in a 15-man team game. The belief that they and only they can change the course of the game by (in effect) trying to do too much every time they have the ball in hand. So they only have to consider beating their wings to make changes........
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