Bernard Condevaux - Designing Effective Physio Departments
Jan 06, 2025
Episode 169: In this episode of the Inform Performance podcast, Andy McDonald sits down with Bernard Condevaux, —a highly experienced Physical Therapist in elite sport. Bernard has worked with professional and collegiate athletes across multiple sports and has been a member of numerous USA Olympic and Pan-American Sports Medicine teams. Most recently, he served as the Senior Director of Medical and Performance for the Detroit Pistons. The conversation delves deep into Bernard's philosophy of leadership, emphasizing trust, open communication, and collaborative problem-solving.
✏️Topics Discussed:
▪️ Building a Strong Team in Professional Sports
▪️ Navigating Job Security and Staff Dynamics
▪️ Transitioning Between Sports: Learning & Leading
▪️ The Future of Sports Medicine Staffing
Key Points
- Maintaining a clinical presence and passion for hands-on work is crucial for successful team leadership in professional sports, even when advancing into management roles. This approach ensures leaders stay connected to the day-to-day challenges and operations, allowing for more informed decision-making and a deeper understanding of the team's needs. It also helps maintain credibility with staff and athletes.
- When building a new team, especially when transitioning between different sports (e.g., from cycling to basketball), it's essential to hire staff with complementary skills and relevant experience. For instance, hiring a head trainer with extensive NBA experience can be crucial for navigating league-specific requirements, protocols, and timelines, ensuring a smooth transition and compliance with league standards.
- Effective team building in professional sports involves getting to know staff members on a personal level. This includes understanding their backgrounds, motivations, career aspirations, and personal circumstances. By investing time in these relationships, leaders can better support individual growth, align team goals with personal objectives, and create a more cohesive and motivated team environment.
- Creating an open dialogue within the team is vital for success in professional sports. Encouraging all team members, regardless of their position, to share ideas and contribute to decision-making processes fosters a collaborative environment. This approach leverages diverse expertise, promotes innovation, and ensures that all perspectives are considered when addressing challenges or implementing new strategies.
- Leaders in professional sports should demonstrate humility and a willingness to learn from their team members. Acknowledging when a team member has a better idea and being open to implementing it builds trust and respect within the group. This approach also encourages staff to take initiative and contribute their expertise, leading to more innovative and effective solutions.
- Establishing clear expectations and values for the team is crucial in professional sports. Adopting principles such as "show up, work hard, listen, and do what you say you're going to do" creates a foundation for a high-performing team culture. These values provide a framework for accountability, professionalism, and mutual respect among team members.
- Building trust is critical in professional sports teams, where job security can be uncertain. Leaders should be willing to take responsibility for failures while giving credit to the team and individuals for successes. This approach encourages risk-taking and innovation among team members, as they feel supported and valued even when ideas don't pan out as expected.
- Addressing job insecurity in professional sports is challenging but necessary for team cohesion and performance. Strategies such as aligning contract timelines for staff members and maintaining open communication about job status can help mitigate anxiety. Leaders should also advocate for their team members with upper management and facilitate career growth opportunities when possible.
- When integrating new team members in professional sports, it's important to balance the need for them to learn the existing culture and systems with the desire for them to contribute fresh ideas. Involving current staff in the hiring process, arranging informal team-building activities, and allowing for a gradual integration can help achieve this balance. This approach ensures new hires feel welcomed while respecting the established team dynamic.
- Effective leaders in professional sports should be prepared to advocate for their team members with upper management. This may involve defending staff from unwarranted replacements, negotiating for better contracts or resources, or facilitating transitions to new opportunities when necessary. By consistently supporting their team, leaders can foster loyalty, improve morale, and create a more stable and high-performing environment.
Where you can find Bernard:
Sponsors
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