Paul Martinelli, in his book, “The 5 Threads That Tie All Great Coaches Together” wrote about the different personalities that excellent coaches must have.
1. They establish trust.
Anyone who has coached for long knows that you’ve got to establish trust with each of your team members before you can lead them. Trust is the most essential thing to establish as a coach.
2. They lend perspective.
In the film Hoosiers, Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) guides the small-town Hickory Huskers to the Indiana high school semi-finals. Before the game, Coach Dale utters the following words:
“Forget about the crowds, the size of the school, their fancy uniforms, and remember what got you here. If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best you can be, I don’t care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game. In my book, we’re gonna be winners! OK?!”
3. They orchestrate people.
Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach observed, “They say you have to use your best five players, but I found you win with the five who fit together the best.”
The best leaders orchestrate a collection of individuals into a harmonious whole.
4. They ensure preparation.
The real-life competition found in sports (and business) has a way of revealing whether or not a team has made the best use of its preparation time.
The best coaches begin preparing their players long before they actually compete in a game.
Legendary UCLA coach John Wooden had a favourite saying: “When opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare.” Champions may be recognized during the course of a title game, but they are made months in advance.”
5. They provide discipline and accountability.
Coach Don Meyer nicely sums up a coach’s aim in providing accountability to the team: “Discipline and demand without being demeaning.”
Set expectations for your team and for individuals, and inspire them to live up to those standards. By setting clear goals and expectations, you can give your team goals to stretch toward and provide guidelines to ensure that they respect one another.
Seth Godwin said, “You have to push yourself to be spectacularly better at the thing you bring to the marketplace than most people. And you can.”
Are you pushing yourself to be spectacular when it comes to coaching?
