Lying to your team... and make it win!

Patrick Mouratoglou is the coach of Serena Williams, one of the greatest tennis champions of all time, record-holder of 23 Grand Slam singles titles.

At Wimbledon 2015, Serena had trouble volleying when opponents were cushioning. Patrick then lied to him, telling him: “ as soon as your opponent makes a short ball, I’m happy because all your stats say you score the point 80% of the time “.

Serena gained confidence and the lie became a reality!

“If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain what he is.

But if you treat it as if it were what it can become, then it will become what it can become.”

Goethe

In 1968, Rosenthal conducted a similar experiment that speaks for itself: when students were presented as gifted (when they weren’t), they tended to develop more.

And what did you do to lead your team to victory? By helping her realize her greatest potential?
What did you say to her to help her reach or exceed her goal?