In 2017, I traveled with an elite junior team to their summer training camp in preparation for the upcoming season.

In preparation for the camp, I sat down with the coaches and we discussed possible sport psychology content for the seven days at camp. We determined that the topic of leadership and leadership behaviors was critical for the team because one of the best players and supposed leaders within the team was not acting like a leader. The players followed him, but his behavior caused some other players to be marginalized. Moreover, sometimes he even prevented the team from succeeding by behaving inappropriately and selfishly.

I had a plan to conduct a kind of orienteering run across some fields and on the edge of a forest. I drove their in preparation for the camp to explore the area, made maps and bought radios so that the athletes could communicate with each other (they had to in order to find the destination where we were going to have a small campfire and barbecue).

One late afternoon in the summer of 2017, small groups were formed, the teams were instructed on how to use the radio, practiced, and then were sent off to find the final destination – using only the maps to orient themselves and communicate via radio. At first, everything went well and the teams made some progress. Then radio etiquette dropped.

One team asked for help over the radio – unfortunately no one answered. They asked again – unfortunately, no one could hear. And why? Because the player who was supposed to be the leader was singing a song over the radio: Dop Dop Dop Deda Dop Dop Dop! Everyone was laughing and having fun with the radios – but the team asking for help? They got lost. They were behind a small hill and lost radio communication.

After 20 minutes of not hearing from them, we started looking for them. After another 20 minutes of not finding them, we broke off the activity and led everyone to the destination where a bus was waiting to take them back to the hotel – and we continued to search for the lost group. After checking the radio again and again from a higher point, we were able to re-establish radio communication with them and guided them to the bus. Everyone was safe. But what happened to the team?

That evening, I sat down with the coaches and discussed how to move forward. Did the activity fail? Did I fail? Where should we go from here? How do we need to work with the team now?

It was one of the longest nights I had spent at any training camp so far. I sat down in my room and prepared a review workshop for the next day. A workshop where the group would reflect on what happened, why it happened, and what it meant for the team going forward. Everyone knew why the small group had been lost. No one said anything to the player who had misbehaved over the radio. Everyone was afraid of him and didn’t want to be the one to speak up.

When working with teams, “bad” situations like this can happen. It’s certainly not the goal. But when it happens, it says something about the group. In my opinion, it is better if an activity does NOT work out and go as planned than if the next game or season does not go as planned. I prefer to work with a team on dysfunctionality in the preseason and then find a solution for the team than to struggle with major problems during the season.

Together, we worked with the team and individual players on what happened. Together we tried to bring the whole team on the road to success. Unfortunately, the club decided to dismiss the player because he was not ready to integrate into the team. That was not my goal and it never will be. But sometimes such decisions have to be made. For the good of the team. (The player was transferred to another team and developed positively there. Maybe that helped him to see and feel the consequences of his behavior – for others and for himself).

I think I made some mistakes in preparing for the intervention. I didn’t expect the team to fail in this way. I didn’t expect the player to behave like this in such an important situation. I didn’t expect that no one would speak up. I did not prepare for a full follow-up workshop – either in case the activity went as planned or in case it did not. In the end, I was not fully prepared.

I learned a lot from this activity. Preparation is key – but it is not everything. Be prepared for a failed activity – and then know what to do next. If you think you’re well prepared, think again – there’s probably something you absolutely need to consider. With outdoor activities, there have to be risks – just make sure the safety measures are adequate.

In my opinion, our outdoor activity only failed at first glance. At second glance, it was a success. The team developed a clear leadership idea, created clear roles and performed well – even without one of their supposed best players.

I am sure you have had similar – or even opposite – experiences. If you have had such an experience, please just reply to me on this email. I would love to hear from them, because it would make us all better!