The Psychology of “Us vs. Them”: From Organizational Defense to Sports Offense

Our “The new Us”-concept was grown within general Team observations in global companies, using a fundamental psychological dynamic that bridges organizational transformation and sports psychology:

The Dual Nature of Team Identity

When we mention the excitement during an offense approach combined with defensive chants – against “them,” we’re highlighting how team identity operates on two complementary levels simultaneously.

Offensive Energy and Collective Excitement

In sports, offensive plays generate a unique psychological state characterized by proactive energy and unified forward momentum. This mirrors exactly what we describe when teams shift from “regional defensive engagement” to “globally inspired breakthrough.” The offense in sports represents:

  • Collective flow states where individual efforts seamlessly integrate into team action
  • Shared excitement that amplifies performance through emotional contagion
  • Proactive strategy focused on achieving goals rather than merely preventing problems

This offensive mindset in business translates to teams that are playing for something rather than merely playing against competitors. As research shows, teams motivated by positive collective goals demonstrate greater coordination and sustained performance than those driven primarily by opposition to external threats.

The “Defense!” Chant Phenomenon

The crowd’s chanting of “Defense! Defense!” when the opposing team has possession represents a fascinating psychological mechanism. This chant originated with the 1956 New York Giants football team and has become one of the most universal expressions of collective identity in sports.

The defensive chant serves multiple functions:

  • Reinforces in-group boundaries by clearly defining “us” versus “them”
  • Channels collective energy into supporting the team’s protective efforts
  • Creates psychological pressure on the opposing team through coordinated crowd behavior

Research demonstrates that in-group defense appears stronger and better coordinated than out-group aggression. Defensive groups survive roughly 70% of attacks, suggesting that defending collective identity is a more natural and effective human behavior than aggressive expansion.

The Strategic Transformation

What makes Bertrams’ approach so powerful is how it combines these two psychological forces. The “new us” we create functions like a sports team that can:

  1. Play offense – actively pursuing breakthroughs and innovations with collective excitement
  2. Play defense – protecting shared values and goals from external pressures
  3. Switch between modes seamlessly based on situational demands

From Fragmented Defense to Unified Offense

In the original fragmented state, different departments were essentially playing defense against each other – protecting their territories, budgets, and influence. This creates what researchers call “coordination failures” where groups cannot align their efforts effectively.

The transformation shifts this internal defensive energy into:

  • External offense against market challenges and opportunities
  • Internal defense of shared vision and collective success
  • Coordinated strategy where all team members know when to attack and when to protect

The Emotional Amplification Effect

Insight about combining excitement with defense chants touches on a crucial aspect of group psychology: emotional amplification through collective identity. When a team experiences this unified “us,” several powerful dynamics emerge:

Identity-Based Emotions

Research shows that team-referent emotions – feelings experienced on behalf of the group rather than personally – create stronger motivation and better performance outcomes. Players and employees who identify strongly with their team experience:

  • Collective pride in team achievements
  • Shared anger toward threats to team success
  • Group-based excitement during offensive initiatives
  • Unified determination to defend team values

The Championship Mentality

As business research confirms, “defense wins championships” while “offense sells tickets”. The most successful organizations master both:

  • Offensive innovation that generates excitement and growth
  • Defensive execution that protects gains and maintains quality
  • Strategic switching between offensive and defensive postures

The excitement of offense motivates and energizes, while the solidarity of defense against external threats strengthens group bonds and coordination.

Practical Applications

This psychological framework explains why Bertrams’ transformation is so effective. By creating a “new us,” we enable organizations to:

  1. Channel competitive energy externally rather than internally
  2. Generate collective excitement around shared offensive goals
  3. Maintain defensive solidarity against market threats
  4. Create sustainable motivation through group identity rather than individual incentives

The result is teams that exhibit the best characteristics of championship sports teams: they play with excitement and creativity on offense while maintaining disciplined coordination on defense, all unified by a shared identity that transcends individual interests.

The analogy perfectly captures how organizational transformation requires not just changing what people do, but fundamentally reshaping how they experience collective identity and channel their competitive instincts.