The USA Women's Water Polo Team
“My "aha" moment came when each team member discovered their E-Colors. Although we all shared a common goal, we found that we had a variety of E-Color combinations sitting around the room.”
– Kami Craig / USA Women's Water Polo Team
Challenge
Deliver a world class behavioral management solution that enables an athlete to understand their strengths and vulnerabilities, as well as the strengths and vulnerabilities of their team mates. The application must be simple, yet effective while adapting to the specific requirements associated with the mental and physical stress of an elite water polo team.
Solution
Equilibria introduced the E-Colors to the USA water polo team using a written format for the whole team and coaching staff to see. When certain characteristics were pointed out, and upon discovering some team mates shared the same E-Colors, common ground was established in areas that we would not have been able to anticipate.
As revealed by the E-Colors exercise, each team member had different strengths, weaknesses or potential limiters, and characters, and it was up to us to maximize each other’s potential.
Upon recognition of their individual E-Colors, the team was able to delve much deeper into their understanding of each other. This knowledge resulted in realizing everyone did not feel comfortable discussing potential limiters, while others hesitated in speaking about their strengths.
The notion that each teammate brought something unique and different to the team was a game changer. Further, the E-Colors revealed the team was not only composed of 16 athletes, they had 16 leaders on the team.
Results
Equilibria provided a road map which maximized each person's potential, along with the ability to capitalize on the potential of the entire team. Prior to Equilibria, the USA women's water polo squad had been a great team. Afterwards, they became a team that worked together to accomplish one of the greatest of feats, another victory on the Olympic stage. Players on the other hand, now appreciated their strengths. and more importantly, how to manage their potential limiters.
