We see it every year in the NCAA Tournament. Multiple underdogs become the big stories early in the tournament. Jeff Janssen is one of the premier sports leadership experts in the country. I have even been fortunate to have contributed to his most recent book Developing Relentless Competitors. Jeff compiled a list of ten strategies for underdogs in any sport for postseason play.
1. "On any given day..." - The belief that "...any team can beat any other team."
2. Nothing to lose mentality - Have fun and play up the fact that the pressure is on the other team.
3. Highlight your successes - Show a film of your season's greatest successes.
4. "The game doesn't know" concept - The game doesn't know who is supposed to win.
5. Find bulletin board material - If your team is in a confident state, find someone who is disrepecting them for motivation.
6. Speak softly, but carry a big stick - Don't give the other team any bulletin board material.
7. Motivational movies - Show them Miracle or Hoosiers.
8. Abraham Lincoln overcoming failure - Remind them of all of the failures "Honest Abe" overcame to succeed as President of the United States (one of my personal favorites).
9. Start strong, manage the momentum, and keep it close - The longer you maintain momentum, the more pressure will fall on the opponent.
10. Motivational themes - Help your team be inspired, confident, focused, and/or loose.
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