TEAM COHESION AND LEADERSHIP AUDIT
Module 10 · Sports Psychology with Dr. Marlon Melville

PURPOSE
Use this educational worksheet to analyse how a sport team unites, coordinates and fulfils its leadership needs. It is not a validated psychological scale and must not be used to diagnose, rank or select athletes.

TEAM / SQUAD: _______________________________________________
SPORT / LEVEL: ______________________________________________
PERFORMANCE CONTEXT: ________________________________________
DATE / REVIEW PERIOD: _______________________________________

01 · DEFINE THE TEAM TASK
What outcome must members coordinate during this period?
________________________________________________________________
How interdependent are the roles, decisions and actions?
________________________________________________________________

02 · ASSESS BOTH FORMS OF UNITY
Task integration: What shows unity around goals, preparation and performance roles?
Evidence: ______________________________________________________
What remains uncertain? ________________________________________

Social integration: What shows belonging, support and interpersonal connection?
Evidence: ______________________________________________________
What remains uncertain? ________________________________________

Do not infer task cohesion from friendship, or social cohesion from winning.

03 · CLARIFY ROLES AND DECISIONS
Key role / responsibility / overlap / decision authority:
1. _____________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________
Where is ambiguity most likely to affect performance?
________________________________________________________________

04 · MAP LEADERSHIP FUNCTIONS
Identify formal and informal sources. One person does not need to fulfil every role.
Task leadership: ________________________________________________
Motivational leadership: ________________________________________
Social leadership: ______________________________________________
External leadership: ____________________________________________
Which function is overloaded, absent or poorly coordinated?
________________________________________________________________

05 · OBSERVE INTERACTION
Record observable examples rather than global labels.
Information sharing: ____________________________________________
Feedback and confirmation: ______________________________________
Help and support: _______________________________________________
Conflict or repair: ______________________________________________
Silence, exclusion or unequal voice: ______________________________

06 · SELECT ONE MECHANISM AND RESPONSE
Priority mechanism (for example role ambiguity, inconsistent standards, poor information flow, leadership overload or unresolved conflict):
________________________________________________________________

One proportionate response:
________________________________________________________________

Who will do what, when and under which conditions?
________________________________________________________________

07 · EVALUATE OVER TIME
Psychological indicator (for example task cohesion, role clarity or perceived leadership support):
________________________________________________________________
Observable team behaviour (for example confirmed calls, coordinated press or error response):
________________________________________________________________
Performance-relevant indicator:
________________________________________________________________
Review dates / comparison periods:
________________________________________________________________

INTERPRETATION CHECK
- Have task and social cohesion been assessed separately?
- Have athlete perceptions been combined with observed behaviour?
- Could recent performance be changing cohesion, rather than only the reverse?
- Have power, inclusion, culture and safeguarding been considered?
- Is the response aimed at a specified mechanism?
- What evidence would show that the response should be retained, adapted or stopped?

RESPONSIBLE-USE BOUNDARY
Team unity does not justify coercion, hazing, forced disclosure, silence, exclusion or unsafe conduct. Harassment, abuse, discrimination, safeguarding concerns or significant mental-health risk require the appropriate institutional or qualified professional pathway.