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🏆 How Great Coaches Neutralize Negativity
Negativity is contagious. Here’s how to stop it before it spreads.
Greg Berge
July 24, 2025
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🔗 LINKS FOR LEADERS
🎥 Video: Anthony Edwards - Mindset [LINK]
🆇 ICYMI: The negative influence of one “Bad Apple” [LINK]
📰 Article: The Power of Gratitude in Coaching
💭 ONE THOUGHT
How Great Coaches Neutralize Negativity
Negativity will sink a team faster than talent can save it.
It doesn’t take long:
One player complaining.
One bad practice.
One poor body language moment left unchecked.
Suddenly, the whole culture shifts. The energy changes. And instead of building toward something, your team is holding itself back.
I've seen it happen. And if you're a coach, you've felt it too.
The good news?
You can fight it. You can train your team to beat negativity before it spreads.
Here are 7 tools that help:
1. “GET to” vs “HAVE to”
Mindset matters, language matters.
When players say, “I have to go to practice,” that’s a red flag. Help them flip it: “I get to do this.” That shift alone can reframe everything.
2. Gratitude Beats Attitude
Gratitude kills entitlement.
Bring your team somewhere they’ll appreciate what they have: Volunteer at a food shelf, work at a youth clinic, or watch a younger level practice. Sometimes, the best way to change one's attitude is to change one's perspective.
3. Call Out Energy Suckers
Negative energy is contagious.
Body language, complaining, and disengagement all add up.
Make energy a standard. Teach your team to protect it. And challenge your leaders to set the tone and speak up.
4. No Complaining Without a Solution
If someone brings a complaint, they also bring a solution.
That rule alone raises the standard. It shifts people from a passive to a proactive mindset. Less whining. More ownership.
5. Replace Negative Self-Talk
Negative thoughts happen. That’s normal.
But that doesn’t mean we have to believe them. Teach players to talk to themselves, not just listen to their thoughts. It’s one of the most powerful mindset tools you can give them.
6. Do You THINK You Can Win or BELIEVE It?
There’s a big difference.
Thinkers hope. Believers commit. If you only think you can win, you’ll hesitate. If you believe it, you’ll bring the effort and energy your team needs.
7. Bitter or Better?
Every player hits adversity.
They either get bitter…or they get better. Help your athletes see that their response is always their choice. Growth is on the table… if they choose it.
Final Thought:
Negativity doesn’t go away on its own.
You must lead your team through it, using clear language, a structured approach, and daily reminders.
Great coaches don’t just talk culture.
They protect it.
What’s one small change you can make this week to raise the energy standard on your team?
Good Luck!
Greg
P.S. Do you want tools that help you eliminate negativity and build a strong culture from Day 1? Grab the Culture Wins OS, it’s your blueprint for a team-first culture, complete with rituals, standards, and a custom AI tool you can use all year long.
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📜 GREAT QUOTES
"It's not the will to win that matters, everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters,"
"A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are."
CULTURE WINS OS
Don't Just Talk Culture. Build It. Live It. WIN With It.
How It Works in 3 Simple Steps:
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Watch the Video Demo:
Want to learn more? Go to the Culture Wins OS Website
𝐗 POSTS FROM OTHERS
“You have to embrace the boredom of consistency.”
Convenience is for the interested.
Consistency is for the committed.
Consistency isn't a choice.
It's a requirement.— The Winning Difference (@thewinningdiff1)
11:33 AM • Jun 19, 2025
Education is Relationship Centered.
— 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 (@DrBradJohnson)
12:12 PM • May 25, 2025
"I use my scoring ability to be a better passer, and my passing skills to become a better scorer." -- Steve Nash
— Coach the Coaches (@WinningCoaches)
10:06 PM • Jun 18, 2025
📚 LOOKING FOR RESOURCES?
The Team Leader OS: The Team Leader OS is a simple, powerful leadership system for coaches who want to build real leaders. It’s packed with short videos, ready-to-use tools, and practical strategies you can implement immediately. Whether you're starting a leadership program or looking to strengthen your team culture, this gives you a clear path forward without adding to your workload. |  |
Better Coach OS: Better Coach OS is a practical masterclass for coaches who want to grow beyond the X’s and O’s. It covers everything from leadership and communication to culture, motivation, and handling tough situations—delivered in short, actionable lessons. Whether you're a new coach or a veteran, it's built to help you lead with confidence and clarity. |  |
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Need resources? www.gberge.gumroad.com
Contact Me: Greg Berge, [email protected]
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