Advice for leading an FLL team?

[Bell-Inequaliy]

I would say that caroline.m and GeeTwo are definitely correct; core value and team work activities are essential to building those skills. I found that for my team integrating time where they get to just hang out as a team also helps because it allows them to bond without the pressure of their work. I don't know if your team did many service projects but I also noticed that when we went out collecting garbage and litter (for Outreach for TrashTrek) that really helped them bond. If you have already organized your team, try doing some pre-season activities to help them bond: e.x a trip to the zoo to learn about animals (since next season is Animal Allies).

At the same time, you should also make it apparent that they might not be friends outside of their team. Gracious Professionalism isn't being best friends with everyone. Gracious Professionalism is showing an attitude of grace and being professional to everyone, even people you don't necessarily like. Emphasize that they're all on the same side and that they should learn to be kind to others even if they don't want to hang out with them all the time.

The last thing I would say is that, when appropriate, let the kids lead their team. Obviously you and the coaches/parents should referee arguments and moderate everything that goes on, but at the same time they will all really come together when they have to make a team decision or resolve an issue on their own. Mentoring my team this year, I would always try and drill the core values into them and teach them what it meant to live out Coopertition and Gracious Professionalism. I noticed they really unified and lived out these values when a referee gave them some points for a mission they didn't complete, and I told them that it was their call if they should tell him or not. They all did a huddle and decided unanimously to tell the referee. It was in times like that where I noticed they really started to work together.

tl;dr: Do team building, drill them on Core Values, show them application, let them hang out sometimes, and let them lead while you make sure they don't do something too catastrophic. I have plenty more advice than can be included in a single post so always feel free to PM me here for more advice if you ever need it.