Coaches: Are you HURTING your team without knowing it?

Great Teams - Better Leaders - 123. 1 Thought; 2 Quotes; 3 Tweets. Newsletter about Leadership, Culture, Teams, and Success.

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ONE THOUGHT...

COACHES: Are you hurting your TEAM without knowing it?

Sometimes as coaches, we don't always realize the impact or influence we are having on our players or team. Some of this is very positive, but some can be negative as well.

As the leader of our team or program, we must be reflective and have a continuous improvement mindset.

Below are 6 common ways that coaches can hurt their team without knowing it.

Read through and reflect on the list below. Are any of these things occurring in your program?

1: Monotony and Boredom

The habit of routine is powerful and an important part of successful coaching. But, coaches need to mix it up too and find different ways to accomplish the same task.

🚩 Bored athletes being negative energy.

🚩 Negative energy can destroy a culture.

Involve your players in decisions. Talk to them. Talk to your leaders.

Be creative.

Do what you can to avoid boredom from setting in.

2: No Identity or Direction

▪️ Players need to know the purpose.

▪️ Players need to know the vision.

▪️ Players need to know the goal.

They need to know clear standards on how to act, behave, and play. Make sure you provide this direction and identity for your team.

The primary role of a coach is to build their culture. Coaches build their culture each and every day. When players do not have clear standards and expectations, the culture suffers.

3: Too many X’s and O’s, NOT enough “Jimmy’s and Joes”.

Coaching is about relationships.

It is about the “Jimmy's” and the “Joe’s.” It is about the players on your team. It is about the human connection you have with them. It is not about the plays you run.

It is easy for coaches to fall in love with the Xs and O’s. If coaches forget about player relationships, they can lose the team.

Focus on Players, not Plays.

People first.

4: Not Connecting/Communicating with Parents.

Some coaches fear parents. They fear the interactions. They fear communication.

So they avoid it.

As a coach, you cannot do this. It will backfire for you.

Be confident in your decisions. Be confident in your communication. Communicate clearly and often with both players and parents.

Proactive and honest communication with parents is CRUCIAL as a coach.

When you do not do this as a coach, parents get frustrated. There is a good saying that goes:

“Where there is a void in communication, Negativity fills it.”

Be a good communicator.

5: Ignoring Leadership Development of Players

Time invested in developing your team leaders will pay for itself when you need it most!

Team leaders put out the “behind the scenes” fires. They serve as junior firefighters for you. They prevent the small fire from turning into a huge inferno for you to put out.

They prevent the little things from becoming big.

Develop your leaders. Talk about leadership. Model Leadership. Teach leadership.

It will pay off for you and make your team more successful. After all, Player Led Teams WIN.

6: Not Leading by Example

Players will follow the coach's LEAD. At the very least, coaches need to Lead by Example.

  • If coaches lack effort -> players will too.

  • If coaches lack energy -> players will too.

  • If coaches lack commitment -> players will too.

Lead by Example. Be a good role model for your team.

Coaches, the list above is certainly incomplete, but it is a good start. This list includes a few things that can hurt a team or program if not addressed. Keep an open mind and work to address any of these items if they surface during your season.

What else would you add?

Good Luck!

TWO QUOTES...

“Pressure is an illusion. I’m just here to have fun.” — Sydney McLaughlin

"No one ever expected me to be here so that feeling of being an underdog is ingrained in me. It's a natural part of my consciousness." – Steve Nash

THREE TWEETS FROM OTHERS...

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