Coaches at every level battle inconsistency in their lineup. Those who instill a next level up mentality in their teams have the advantage. They prepare players to step up when their number is called. How can you foster this mentality in your team?

Prepare for the Inevitable

Then Lieutenant Colonel Harold (Hal) Moore was asked to prepare and lead his inexperienced troops of the 7th Calvary for combat in the Vietnam War.

Documented in his 1992 book We Were Soldiers Once…And Young which later turned into a Hollywood classic, Moore describes how he trained his Soldiers “two levels up.” This meant that every Soldier was required to learn the duties, responsibilities, and skillset of the person two levels of leadership above them.

He instilled a culture of learning and mentoring which was essential for the casualties their unit anticipated in Vietnam. While a difficult reality to face, Moore and others knew that preparing for those realities would be easier than denying them and being severely ill-prepared for what lay ahead.

4 Essentials for Fostering a Next Man Up Mentality

Whether you coach a high school team, a travel team, or a professional organization your team will experience attrition. Players move up to the next level. They graduate. They get injured. They get traded.

Prepare today for the inevitable adversity your roster will experience down the road. Here are 4 essentials for fostering a next man up mentality:

1. Set the Expectations

Players will rise and fall to your expectations. Tell your athletes that you expect them to step up when their number is called.

This starts by clarifying each athlete’s role. Within that role, let them know it is their responsibility to work hard, take initiative, and be prepared to help the team. Like General Moore, tell your troops to be ready to fill the gaps.

Expectations of players will likely change from season to season and possibly from week to week. Constant communication is imperative.

2. Challenge Everyone

A big part of keeping ALL players engaged throughout the rigors of a long season is to keep challenging them. Motivation wanes when athletes aren’t being pushed to get better.

To keep players (especially role players) from falling through the cracks, challenge athletes to get better everyday and track their progress. Or embrace Pete Carroll’s famed principle of “Always Compete” which keeps the Seahawks sharp, engaged, and in a competitive frame of mind.

3. Empower Players to Excel

As players step into new roles, potentially filling big shoes left by a starter, you have to communicate belief. Remember that athletes rise and fall to your expectation, so be sure and set a positive tone. Lead with optimism and model the “can do” attitude you need from your players.

Dabo Swinney led the Clemson Tigers to a College Football Playoff National Championship over the Crimson Tide by his tremendous belief in his players, coaches, and team.

As Jon Gordon writes in You Win in the Locker Room First, “I’m convinced one of the most important things a leader must do is to be positive and optimistic.”

4. Leverage Your Team Leaders

The responsibility of fostering a next man up mentality should not fall solely on the shoulders of coaches. Identify the leaders in your locker room and recruit them to be part of the process.

For the New Zealand All Blacks rugby club, this is a core tenet of their team and success. They call it “Pass the Ball,” meaning leaders create leaders. There is a shared responsibility and ownership throughout the organization of preparing players to contribute at the highest level.

Call on your team leaders [link to empower team leaders] to teach and mentor other team members in the principles of the team and the skills they need to excel.

The Best Teams Embrace a Next Man Up Mentality

In the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship, perennial powerhouse Alabama was led to victory by Tua Tagovailoa, their backup quarterback. He finished the game 14 of 24 passing for 165 yards and 3 touchdowns. Not too shabby for being brought in to start the 3rd quarter.

Brad Stevens led the Boston Celtics to the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavaliers earlier this year despite losing two All-Star starters in Kyrie Erving and Gordon Hayward. Terry Rozier and Jayson Tatum stepped into starting roles. Tatum set multiple Celtics rookie records, scoring 20 points or more in five straight playoff games, passing legendary Larry Bird.

The New England Patriots may do it better than anyone. Long-time Pat, Matthew Slater says it starts with Bill Belichick. “The way he’s prepared every man on this roster – from Tom Brady to the last guy on this practice squad – everyone is prepared the same way. The expectation, the bar, is the same for everyone and it’s like that every single day. So when…a guy’s number is called, it’s not new to him. It’s not totally foreign.”

Prepare your team to weather the storms that come between the lines of competition. Injuries, off-season moves, and graduations will leave your roster in constant flux. Create a next man up mentality in your locker room and never be caught off guard. Instead, empower your players to step up and contribute.

Question: How are you currently promoting a next man up mentality?

I’d love to hear from you in the comments below, or on Facebook or Twitter.

Links:

• Book: We Were Soldiers Once…And Young by Lt Gen Harold Moore and Joseph Galloway
• Book: You Win in the Locker Room First by Jon Gordon and Mike Smith
• Book: Legacy: What the All Backs Can Teach Us About the Business of Life by James Kerr
• Post: How To Protect Your Athletes From Your Low Expectations
• Post: Why is it Important for Athletes to Know Their Roles?
• Post: 3 Reasons Initiative is Guaranteed to Make Your Team Better
• Post: How To Guarantee Your Athletes Get Better Everyday
• Post: Why Does the Best Team in Baseball Recruit Optimism?
• Post: 5 Proven Reasons to be More Positive With Your Team
• Post: 10 Secrets Every Coach Should Steal from Dabo Swinney
• Post: 3 Practical Reasons Every Team Needs a Leadership Council