Defined as: the sequence where the team conceives, believes, achieves and then gets fatheaded from too much praise.
Usage: from coach Bronco Mendenhall, BYU Cougars: "Our players are aware of the manifestations of the pride cycle and will find the necessary diligence and consistency and stewardship and accountability within them to avoid it, otherwise it would be a program failure."
A well-known self-destructive cycle of democratic behavior has been attributed to an eighteenth century historian by the name of Alexander Tytler. Whether Tytler is the original author or not, the concept of democratic self-destruction has been proven accurate, right here in America.
"From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage."
As applied to a team:
"From weakness to trust; (through changes in management or coaching)
From trust to great courage; (through hard work and vision)
From courage to triumph; (by defeating a greater opponent)
From triumph to dominance; (by defeating all opponents)
From dominance to complacency; (as resistance shrinks, so does effort)
From complacency to apathy; (through fat contracts and loss of integrity)
From apathy to dependence; (through loss of trust)
From dependence back into weakness." (through loss of talent, both players and coaches)
As applied to a player:
"From weakness to trust;"
(through the building of positive relationships with teammates, coaches, and through assimilation into one team unit that functions to achieve the goals set forth by the management of the organization)
"From trust to great courage;"
(through hard work, perseverance, study, and continual self improvement)
"From courage to triumph;"
(through the achievement of set personal and team goals, the birth of synergy)
"From triumph to dominance;"
(through the achievement of all personal and team goals)
"From dominance to complacency;"
(through a lack of new positive goals and a loss of interest in self improvement)
"From complacency to apathy;"
(through a complete loss of interest in anything other than self)
"From apathy to dependence;"
(through the loss of trust in teammates, coaches, and the organization's vision, a destruction of synergy)
"From dependence back into weakness;"
(through the loss of teammates, coaches, vision, and an increase in selfish behavior no positive goals to reach toward pride)
Breaking free: players and teams find prolonged success through the following steps.
1.At their weakest point, they will find that they care more about team than they do about self.
2.They will be vulcanized with their teammates as they struggle together.
3.A leader will emerge in the form of a new coach, or a strong teammate.
4.Teammates and coaches will begin to trust each other.
5.They will begin to realize that they will produce more through synergy than they will by working as individuals.
6.They will begin achieving positive goals they will grow together.
7.They will steadily grow until they reach the pinnacle of success.
Here is the crux of the whole matter it is when these teams have achieved all of their goals that they face a difficult decision. In sports there is a ceiling once you win a championship, it is easy to lose focus. Do you continue to push yourself? Most athletes will not. They have earned a respite. Most players will move toward complacency rather than continue to exert themselves.
The truly great teams are the ones that don't stop pushing. They know that pride is the enemy of success. There will always be those who succumb to the fame and fortune, but the great ones stay put. They know there is more work to be done, another championship to win, another goal to attain.
Prolonged success is found by avoiding complacency. It is found by exerting a consistent effort even though there is nowhere to go but down.
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