In order for any team or organization to perform successfully communication amongst that team must happen. Communication is a key factor in every successful team. The team members must work together effectively, and have a common goal to reach. If there is bad communication amongst the team then the team will not be able to perform to its best ability to reach that common goal. So what is this communication that I speak of?
“Communication is defined as interpersonal acts that exchange meaning and information”(Schneider, et. al, 2012). Along with this definition, we have a definition that relates to effective communication in sports teams. “This refers to those interactions that enhance the operation of the team and its members. For instance messages between team members that result in improved team performance or more satisfied players would be considered effective communication because they contribute to a better functioning team.”(Schneider, et. al, 2012)
I have been involved with many sports teams throughout my life time. I started playing sports when I was five years old, and now at twenty two I am still on a team. With this being said, I know on a personal level how communication can make or break a team. This meaning that if there is no effective communication than the team will not succeed. I was on a team once where no one could get along. It was my high school soccer team. There were many different cliques, and the cliques could not get along with one another. Therefore, communication between the entire team was lost, and we had no real form of effect communication. On the field, we did not communicate with one another, and basically were just playing individually. This resulted us into losing every game that season. This made me realize just how important communication is between teammates. Soccer is one hundred percent a team sport, and you cannot perform well without the help of your teammates. If the team is fighting, and not communication with one another, then how are you supposed to be successful together? This also makes it a terrible experience. Playing on a team with no communication makes it very difficult to have fun. Sports are supposed to be fun and you are supposed to enjoying playing, but with no communication it can become draining and no fun.
An example of a team that I was on who has effective communication is my current softball team at Penn State Abington. We are so good at communication with one another that we untimely think of each other as a second family. Our communication skills both on and off the field are very good, and we support each other no matter the situation. In result of this, we are a very successful team. We not only make playoffs every year, but we succeed well in the playoffs too. With this being said, I know that communication is a key to perform well within a team.
In conclusion, effective communication very much so relates to how teams perform. In order for a team to be able to perform to its best ability, and meet their end goal of winning games, that team must be able to communicate well with on another both on and off the field. If communication is lost or not present, the team cannot work together to meet their goals and it becomes very unsuccessful.
Schneider, F.W, Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Psychology (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
I completely agree with you that effective and good communication is crucial for the success of a team. I personally believe that for the success of any relationship between two or more people that communication is one of the most important factors. If you can’t successfully communicate with your team then like you said everyone will just be working individually and the common goal may not be being reached then. You mention soccer as an example of a team you were on where the communication was not good. I also played soccer when I was younger and I can definitely see how lack of communication could be very detrimental. If all of the forwards are each individually trying to get the ball and take it down the field to score, then as soon as the one who has the ball gets in a tangle with a defensive member they will lose the ball because they are not using their other teammates to pass or to have their back. Teams need to communicate in order to develop a plan and carry it out. If there is no communication can the group of people even be considered a team?