COACHING COACHES

The Best never rest – and they are always trying to stay ahead with regard to thinking, learning and growing. They are meticulous in their preparation & unwavering commitment. A good coach can bring out qualities in players that they might not know they have. How coaches treat their players – what they did to get good results and what they did to et the opposite effect. Criticize the performance, never the performer. 1) Creating a caring environment Top coaches care deeply about their athletes and find many ways to communicate this. Ask questions on the sidelines about life outside of sports. As a coach, you are expected to know your sport. He is expected to develop practice strategies, provide instruction on techniques, analyze the competition,and give motivational speeches. Most importantly, care about your athlete. Show them that you think they are important, demonstrate consistently that you care. “A person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Dale Carnegie Coaches who genuinely care, share something in common; they have a genuine interest in seeing their athletes succeed in life, a concern that goes way beyond athletic performance. Build relationship with your athletes. Care about each one of them irregardless of their athletic performance or their winning potential. “They may forget what you said. But they will never forget how you made them feel.” Great coaches are not afraid to guide and encourage others to achieve success that may even surpass their own accomplishments. “How many people can genuinely make a difference in the lives of others?” 2) Communicate effectively “Communication works for those who works at it.” John Powell Direct and honest communication is highly appreciated. The two word information & communication are often used interchangeably. But they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through. Sydney J Harris ell you Important to provide a rational for why you have made the decision you have. Tell your team member what you are thinking and what your plan it is if it is affecting them. Be respectful when you share constructive feedback with your members. Criticize the performance, not the performer. Be specific in what you have noticed. Be clear about your expectation for behavioral change, and do your best to convey the belief that this change is possible. Even when individuals are disappointed by the outcome of conversation with you, it will be much easier for them to digest difficult news when they feel truly heard by you. When you are designated as the person in charge, you are imbued with power. perhaps giving away some power, and people will relish having a voice that’s valued. When a team member is given an opportunity to communicate with you in order to help shape the team’s activities and goals, they are going to be on board. Empowerment; empower your team. Understand your own communication style and be yourself. Gather information about how individuals on your team communication best. Be direct and be honest. Provide a rationale for your decisions. Be as open and forthright as the situation allows. Especially when decisions may be tough for your team member to hear. Always be respectful. Avoid belittling or publicly shaming team members. Criticize the performance, not the performer. Take the time to listen. Ask for clarification. To be sure you are truly hearing what they are saying. Empower your team by giving them a voice. Invite team members to contribute ideas. This will help them buy into your system. Reasons for not communicating – desire to avoid conflict – difficulty in fitting in the time to have the conversation – faulty assumption that others already know what they want, a belief that others don’t need the information – uncertainty about what message we want to send – fear of being misunderstood Consequence of breakdown in communication – angry or hurt feelings – strained or broken relationship, reduced confidence, lack of trust, ineffective team work, – performance gaffe 3) Keeping it simple Integrity & Genuineness – Identify the main principles that are most important for your team members to remember – Use a variety of methods to drill your philosophy into their memory: visual aids, repetition, acronyms, stories, and examples – Provide positive reinforcement when you see players putting these philosophies into action Highlight the importance of these principles outside of sports