Optimism in Officiating

Presented by: Lior Doron

Optimism in OfficiatingAgenda

• Practical Exercises • Theory • Exercises Revisited• Safeguards / Disadvantages• Great Quotes • Follow-up

Optimism Test

Answer these 12 questions with the situation that BEST

FITS.

#1) You refereed a great game

a) I took charge of the game

b) The players really seemed to have everything under control

#2) You won the whistle blower award (WBA)

a) I made myself more available and was ready to work more often

b) Other referees were probably more busier that period than normally.

#3)One team lost because you blew the game and made a bad call

a) I made an error in judgment b) The players got the best of me

#4) You start the game and you feel cold

a) I didn’t warm up enough

b) It’s cooler in the rink than usual

#5) You are feeling excited about the upcoming season

a) At the beginning of the year, I feel the positive anticipation of the hockey season

b) I am motivated to referee

#6)You receive your schedule and notice you have high division games

a) Sometimes I get these games

b) I referee high division games

#7) The game has gotten out of hand

a) You should have called a tighter game right from the beginning

b) The players have lost control of the game

#8) You have lost confidence in yourself

a) I just don’t have it right now

b) The games I did have been very difficult.

#9) You just finished working a great game

a) I am a good referee

b) I am feeling good about myself

#10) You call a penalty and feel confident in your call

a) My penalty calls are very accurate

b) My judgment is very good

#11) You’ve been feeling run down lately

a) My legs are feeling heavy

b) My body is feeling tired

#12) Your mind wanders during the game

a) I can lose focus every so often

b) My mind can be distracted once in a while

Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman• Pioneer in learned optimism• Learned Optimism (book)

Optimism Defined

A tendency to expect the best possible outcome or dwell on the

most hopeful aspects of a situation

Benefits of Optimism

• Avoid depression / quitting• Healthier lifestyle / referee longer• Become more persistent / enjoy

the game more

Optimism & Its Dimensions

1) Personalization2) Time3) Pervasiveness

Keep in mind that good and bad things happen to you on the ice and in life

Dimension #1) Personalization

• Good things – take responsibility

• Bad things - find a reason (not you)

#1) You refereed a great game

a) I took charge of the game

b) The players really seemed to have everything under control

#2) You won the whistle blower award (WBA)

a) I made myself more available and was ready to work more often

b) Other referees were probably more busier that period than normally.

#3)One team lost because you blew the game and made a bad call

a) I made an error in judgment b) The players got the best of me

#4) You start the game and you feel cold

a) I didn’t warm up enough

b) It’s cooler in the rink than usual

Dimension #2) Time

• Good things happen a long time

• Bad things happen a short period of time

#5) You are feeling excited about the upcoming season

a) At the beginning of the year, I feel the positive anticipation of the hockey season

b) I am motivated to referee

#6)You receive your schedule and notice you have high division games

a) Sometimes I get these games

b) I referee high division games

#7) The game has gotten out of hand

a) You should have called a tighter game right from the beginning

b) The players have lost control of the game

#8) You have lost confidence in yourself

a) I just don’t have it right now

b) The games I did have been very difficult.

Dimension #3) Pervasiveness

• Good things affect many areas of your life

• Bad things affect one or few areas of your life

#9) You just finished working a great game

a) I am a good referee

b) I am feeling good about myself

#10) You call a penalty and feel confident in your call

a) My penalty calls are very accurate

b) My judgment is very good

#11) You’ve been feeling run down lately

a) My legs are feeling heavy

b) My body is feeling tired

#12) Your mind wanders during the game

a) I can lose focus every so often

b) My mind can be distracted once in a while

Your Results / 12

• Look at Your Weakest / Strongest Dimension

• Sampling Bias• Original

Questionnaire

18%

217%

325%

433%

542%

650%

758%

867%

975%

1083%

1192%

12100%

The project you are in charge of is a great success

a) I kept a close watch over everyone’s work

b) Everyone devoted a lot of time and energy to it

You get a flower from a secret admirer. a) I am attractive to him / her b) I am a popular person

You host a successful dinner

a) I was particularly charming that night

b) I am a good host

Safeguard Against Optimism

• Lose sense of reality

• Loss of accountability

Quotes: Optimistic or Pessimistic?• As soon as I make a mistake, a big one,

I live with that for two, three, four games… I… recognize my mistake, I do not try and make up any excuses, say no, no, this is not a mistake. I live with it and that’s something I haven’t resolved so far since I made one and I live with it for a few games or for a few minutes during the game.

Great Optimistic Quotes

“I’ve had some big wins and some tough losses, but the Czech game, no question, is one of the toughest losses I’ve ever experienced. We were in shock. It was one of the those rare feelings we’ve gotten in our careers where we really didn’t know what hit us.”

Wayne Gretzky after losing in the bronze medal game to the Fins in ‘98

Great Optimistic Quotes

“I just didn’t have that last push”

Myrium Bedard after losing in the biathlon in ‘98

Follow - Up

• www.flowinsports.com/concordiaref• Take the original Seligman Optimism

test & beat your score!• Extend this knowledge beyond the rink

and into your personal and professional lives