In the challenging game of 2020, as we reach the mid-year point, how is yours going so far?
• a stretching soaring success?
• an incremental increase on last year?
• a so-so, normal, not bad, life/business-as-usual kind of year?

Nothing worse, I hope!

Whether you are looking at this from a purely personal perspective, or you are thinking about it from a team point of view (if you are a leader/ manager of a team), if you find yourself half-way through the year, the equivalent of 2-nil down at half time, it’s time to make some changes.

If you have already resorted to throwing tea-cups at the wall, the team is in trouble! But let’s hope it hasn’t gone that far, and with some skilful self-leadership, personal management and self-coaching you can turn the game around in the second half of the year, starting with a brilliant half-time team talk.

• What’s the score at half time?
• What has worked really well in the first half and what specific goals were scored?
• How were these goals scored? And what aspects of the way you are operating can be replicated to achieve results in the second half?
• Tackling ourselves – what didn’t work so well, and why?
• Have you been caught offside too much? – based on your values, what behaviours do you need to remind yourself are onside/ offside?
• What aspects of performance need to change?
- Defence (the foundations – vision, objectives, strategy, personal effectiveness)
- Midfield (the tactics – setting up the opportunities to score goals)
- Attack (the productivity, results, finishing skills)
• What are the immediate goals for the second half? This should be something to focus on achieving right after the whistle sounds.

Remember to include a summary, as you leave the metaphorical dressing room, ready to go out onto the pitch for the second half:
• Well done on first half goals scored
• Refocus on changes to tactics in second half
• Re-energising –get the head held high.
• Focus on immediate goals to achieve “early doors” in second half

A good Half-Time Team Talk will:
• Help you assess what is working well and what’s not working so well.
• Set a vision for the second half of the year… what you want to happen so that at the end of the year you’ll be able to look back and feel it’s been a success.
• Identify specific and tangible goals for the second half.
• Impart the specific techniques and fresh tactics to enhance performance and achieve those goals.
• Re-energise and re-focus.
• Leave the team in no doubt what is required, and the rewards involved in achieving the goals.
• Inspire commitment and confidence to making it happen.

Wishing you every success in the second half!