Team Cohesion Analysis

Team cohesion attributes to success in sports. It creates a sense of unity and pride which drives team members to work collectively. With the concepts of team, personal, leadership and environmental factors, this paper examines how these work separately and holistically to form cohesion in a team. Team factors that influence cohesion of a group include factors that are relevant to the group as a whole. Personal factors refers to individualistic characteristics that influence the team cohesion. Leadership styles are also important because it relates to how the coaches and trainers provide a foundation for cohesion and allow it to develop. Environmental factors include external sources that influence cohesion within a team. Thus through examining
Team cohesion is composed of a variety of elements that when synchronized have a harmonious effect. Yarmey (2013), defines team cohesion as a group of individuals working collectively to attain a common goal despite opposing factors. Within this term there are numerous elements that drive the attained goal of cohesion. Following this definition the function of team cohesion is to enhance performance as well as satisfaction of being included in a particular team (Yarmey, 2015). Therefore it explains team success as well as the importance of being part of group (Yarmey, 2015). It relies heavily upon the degree of integration toward team goals and as well the degree of integration toward social and emotional satisfaction (termed social cohesion) (Crocker, 2016). This ensures that the common goal and satisfaction are included in order to reach a desirable goal. It is also necessary to note that teams are in constant change because it is a complex dynamic that requires continuous modifications (Yarmey, 2013). Within this umbrella framework four concepts are crucial in the formation of cohesion in groups. These include team development, personal factors, leadership styles, and environmental components. To understand the complex dynamics of these group cohesion concepts, theories and empirical findings must be
Firstly, there are four stages of building a team, forming, storming and norming and performing (Yarmey, 2015). The beginning phase, forming, begins when team members are selected and players compare their strengths and weaknesses. The second phase, storming, includes the difficulties of coping with the extensive training and practice regimes (Yarmey, 2015). Next is the norming stage which consists of team members begin to think of themselves holistically and who can compete together to attain a goal. Lastly, the performing phase addresses the stage in which the team players collectively join their skills and energy to create a team with strong cohesion. This will allow for a greater chance in team performance and success (Yarmey,