If you pay attention to your conversations with really smart people, a single comment can start to spin your gears. This past week an exchange with a colleague got me thinking about how coaches enter the sporting environment versus where they land. Is it safe to say that there is often a noticeable difference between what coaches want to be and what they become?
Remember when you first started coaching and/or leading? Weren’t you flush with optimism and the belief that you could inspire change in people and programs? You had a vision, and come hell or high water you would make a difference. Along the way, in many sporting environments, challenges and pressures create obstacles that can result in a coach changing their values and methods – sometimes without the coach even realizing this is happening.
Do you think Larry Brown, hall-of-fame basketball coach and current SMU head coach, started off in the same philosophical place he is in now? Have a read..it isn’t pretty – BROWN. The converse of this may be Gregg Popovich, long-time coach of the San Antonio Spurs. I am guessing that if you asked him what he originally wanted to be and what he has become as the legendary coach of the five-time world champions he would say the two are pretty much aligned.
Sticking with basketball, a good friend of mine, the University of Calgary men’s basketball coach Dan Vanhooren, took some time two years ago to take a look at his program and how he was coaching and leading. His team has been successful in the very competitive Canada West Conference over the course of his 17 year career, which is a testament to his hard work and coaching talent.
Dan explains the process. “In the spring of 2014 I took some time to speak with coaching peers about the challenges we all face. Both former Dinos coach Gary Howard and Victoria and national team coach Ken Shields visited with me and my staff and provided invaluable insight into coaching and the game itself. As well, I was able to spend time with Mike MacKay from Canada Basketball. As Gary and Ken had done, Mike helped me focus in on what really mattered to me on court. I wasn’t happy with how we were playing at that time and the feedback from those I trust as well as Mike’s unique way of asking questions to uncover some important answers was invaluable. That spring set the stage for me to lock down our core values, both on and off the court, which has resulted in behavior change and results.”
“Now, our culture is our number one asset. My guys know that every behavior impacts our culture and that they must make decisions on a daily basis that support and build on our core values.”
Last year his team finished 12-8 and Dan won the Canada West Coach-of-the-Year. Cycle forward to present day and his team has finished this past season 17-3, won their first playoff series and is hosting the conference final four in a few days. A major accomplishment!!
In large part because a coach cared about making sure he was coaching and leading the way he intended.
Are you a coach? A leader? Stop and think, “Are you leading the way you want to or has your environment made you behave differently – perhaps ineffectively?”.
What can you do about this?
- Ask for help. Talk to your peers and line-managers about strategies to assess your performance and coaching behaviors.
- Lock-down! Find a trusted, objective person to participate in a review of your coaching principles and philosophies. Set the stage, gather feedback and “lock the door” for a few hours! Talk through the significant challenges and your relevant behavior. Come out when you feel like you have greater clarity on steps you can take to coach and lead towards your values and philosophies, not to lead in a reactive way.
Coaching is hard work. Staying true to what “you want to be” is even harder.
Good luck!!
