Can your team Train andCan your team Train and

Tame the Dragon?Tame the Dragon?

Developing High-Performance teams in a

High-Performance activityJim O’Dell – Regional Coach

USACK/DragonBoat USA National Team

IntroductionIntroduction• Degreed Safety Professional,

HR Generalist and Trainer

• Corporate Wellness coach• National Team regional coach

• Multi-time National Champion• World Championships medalist

• 2014 World Champion

• Coach and team builder for corporate and private groups in Dragon Boating

A new approach thousands of A new approach thousands of years in the makingyears in the making

• Ancient sport from China

• Worked as team for greater good

• Modernized in 1970’s

• Second most popular participation sport

• Now a new approach into corporate team building

How popular is it?How popular is it?

• Dragon Boat racing has expanded across the globe.   • The long, open canoes resemble a dragon with a

head, scales and a tail  • Competitive large boats sit 20 paddlers in two rows

using a single blade paddle.  Small, potential Olympic sport dragon boats contain 10 paddlers, and both configurations use a drummer and steersman 

• Events are held on flatwater with distances ranging from 200m to 2000m

Team building aspectTeam building aspect

• Health and Wellness activities in concert with team building

• Push teams to new extremes

• Traditional team building includes Effective interpersonal communication at all levels; Together build relationships; Appreciate each others' strengths, etc.

• Not all of these are physically healthy• Doughnuts + conference rooms = boring & fat

Teams have Tamed the DragonTeams have Tamed the Dragon

Multi-national corporations Credit unions and banksScouts and leadersUniversity faculty vs. studentsVarious houses of faith and worship

What makes the ultimate team What makes the ultimate team building experiencebuilding experience

• Coming together is a beginning.

• Keeping together is progress.

• Working together is success.

- Henry Ford

and having fun in and having fun in the process!the process!

Coming together is a beginningComing together is a beginning

To do this, work has to begin the same way for all

levels.

Having a common goal inspires and

motivates.

A team is a group of people who come

together to achieve a purpose.

Teams are organic – they grow and

change.

Keeping together is progressKeeping together is progress

• Stroke is hard – requires attention to understand

• Knowing what those around you are capable of even while all learning

• Figuring it out and helping one another

Improving teams usually requires a combination of:

• Improving work skills

•Understanding of others

• Communication • Problem solving

skills

Keeping together is progressKeeping together is progress

Improving work skills Improving work skills – Time is spent on the basics of the sport along with the fundamentals of the stroke. The team will be ineffective otherwise.

This is no different than any work setting;

those who do not work together affect the team, and your bottom line.

Keeping together is progressKeeping together is progress

Understanding of othersUnderstanding of others – Twenty two (or 12) people in such a confined area requires each member of the team to fully understand one

another.

Taking time to know your team members – at all levels – makes them feel inclusive, not exclusive.

Keeping together is progressKeeping together is progress

CommunicationCommunication – Each member of the team will need to understand the unique language so there is

an understanding of the task at hand.

Like the calls in the boat; each place of business has its own slang, commands and processes.

Ensure good communication for desired results.

Keeping together is progressKeeping together is progress

Problem solving skillsProblem solving skills – Members of the team, no matter their skill level, will be required to reach the end goal and a plan is developed to ensure this will

happen.

Everyone needs guidance to ensure their success. Knowing chain of command helps to know from

where guidance comes.

Working together is successWorking together is success

• Team Building is tied to personal development

Working together is successWorking together is success

• Team Building is tied to personal development

• Team Development requires individual team members to grow and develop

Working together is successWorking together is success

• Team Building is tied to personal development• Team Development requires individual team

members to grow and develop• As an individual’s personal growth unfolds, so

too does their capacity to participate in and thrive in group situations

Working together is successWorking together is success

• Team Building is tied to personal development• Team Development requires individual team

members to grow and develop• As an individual’s personal growth unfolds, so

too does their capacity to participate in and thrive in group situations

• The closer the correspondence between team goals and individual goals, the greater the sum of individual motivations for succeeding together

Dragon Boat Team DynamicsDragon Boat Team Dynamics

• Team dynamics are the unseen psycho-social forces that operate amongst groups of people. Team dynamics are a cocktail of interpersonal chemistry which, if effectively harnessed, can provide considerable power for reaching collective goals.

• 20 people in a confined space paddling at 70 strokes per minute. The team must work together – as one – in order to achieve the collective goal.

End resultEnd result

• WORN OUT!

• Teams express extreme satisfaction as they learned a new sport…and how to work together to achieve a goal.

• Lots of smiling faces!

Is your Team next?Is your Team next?

jim_odell@bellsouth.net