Not Every Coach Wears a Whistle
When anyone thinks about the image of a coach, everyone sees the image of a menacing intimidating face with a whistle. Somewhere along the line, the word got tied up in this image and stays that way. You’re a coach for someone whether you know it or not, so be sure to understand what that means.
Think back to when you were playing a sport, or possibly even learning an instrument or a subject in class. One thing is ALWAYS consistent. It sucks. “Get on the goal line” were the words that would have our football team shaking in their cleats. What that meant was everyone on the team would line up on the goal line facing the 50 yard line of the field and do sprints. Or “jingles” as they were called for some sadistic reason I can’t begin to fathom.
Every member of the team was timed and would run all out to the 50 yard line. The one who was last in their group would be put on the spot. That person would have to have a faster time on the next sprint or everyone would continue. Even recalling this time in my life gives me the chills. While it was easy to moan and groan on that goal line, the investment of the time put into those sprints paid dividends on the field, and in life.
Life? How is this the case?
Mostly, because I know that we would not have done those drills otherwise. A coach pushes you through those obstacles. Pushes you beyond what you feel you’re capable of, and believes in you more than you do. At this time in my life, those obstacles were only physical but they made me better.
If only we had someone to do that for us in our adult life. Someone to push us begrudgingly through physical AND mental obstacles to make us more skilled on the other side. Believe it or not we’re all coached and are coaches in some way shape or form, whether we like it or not.
"Discipline is doing what you hate, but do it like you love it"
Mike Tyson said that this is what his coach/trainer Cus D’Amato used to tell him. If we can take this model and implement it to take our teams where they want to go, then we’ll have world champions on our team.
Lets break down the definition of the word “coach” a bit here:
According to the etymology of the word, in the 1550s it was strictly used to describe a “large kind of four-wheeled covered carriage”. Since vehicles were often named after the place of their invention, or first use; the vehicle took on the name “Carriage of Kocs” due it being created in Kocs, Hungary.
The word then underwent many changes from “Kosci” in Hungary to “Coche” in France and so forth. In 1830 the word took on the slang meaning “to carry” which was then used to describe one who carries someone through school work.
What it all boils down to is this:
The word in its full form means “to take someone somewhere”. If you’ve ever felt that you were in this position to do this for someone, which many of you should, then you my friend, are a coach. Somehow, if you don’t feel that you’ve been in this position for someone then this article should be quite revelatory because you most certainly are that for SOMEbody.
You don’t have to be writing X’s and O’s on a chalkboard or tell your team to get on the goal line for conditioning drills to be considered a coach. All you have to do is take someone under your wing and guide them down the path they want to be successful in.
If we’re to take them somewhere, what do they want and where do they want to go?
This is up to you to find out. What we have to do here is sit with them and find out their desired path in the field they’re in. Now its our job to pave that way for them and, quite literally, carry them there.
Hypothetically put them in this scenario and ask them: you’re super successful and at the pinnacle moment in your professional career:
- What is your position?
- What did you do to get there?
- How do you feel?
Answers to these questions not only require some vulnerability, but trust as well. Maybe you should answer them too.
We're all playing a game that has rules and strategies that if implemented properly can determine success.
So coach, here you are. So now you know what a coach is. You know that you are one. You know where it is that this individual you’re coaching wants to go. You can now think of everything you do in terms of being the head of a team looking to win a game. In other words, there is still a sport happening in your life right now. That sport is your chosen field (funny how the word “field” works the way it does here).
Here’s an example: If you’re in sales, and you’re leading a team, you need to know the rules of the game and also the leverage points to be successful in that game. Does the team need more active listening drills? Is it more role playing? More personality-type discussions? More EQ because empathy isn’t where it should be?
The same way you would if you’re standing on the sideline drawing up plays for the team as you’re seeing a game play out. In every scenario it is in the coach’s best interest to develop the players, not just tell them what to do. That’s the major difference in successful organizations and teams.
How to Develop The "Off the Field" X's and O's
So where, and how, do you start this line of thinking? Write down what you feel the rules of your game are, the strategies for winning, and what winning looks like. Similar to what a coach would do in their office drawing up plays, you can do the same:
Find out:
What are the rules to this game?
How do you win?
How do the winners win this game?
- Maybe you can sit with some of the best in the field and (First, lose your ego) ask them:
- What are the strategies you implement to be successful?
- *This is why reading and learning from the best is integral*
- What attributes do your best players possess that make them successful?
- Take these attributes and go back to develop your team in this new way
- What are the strategies you implement to be successful?
- Maybe you can sit with some of the best in the field and (First, lose your ego) ask them:
How can I take these attributes that the successful possess and turn that into an exercise for the team to grow?
What you’re doing here is breaking down the game, learning from the best, and implementing new strategies that have a proven track record. This is what the best in their craft do, so it is no different here. They sit at their whiteboard in their office, break down game film, and draw up a strategy.
IF YOU'RE NOT READING, YOU'RE BEHIND
Coaches are adored while managers are adhered to.
Players run out on the field for a coach where managed employees just about show up on time for their managers. Why? A coach cares about the person while a manager cares about the bottom line.
A few times I’m sure you’ve left your job at the end of the day feeling like, “wow I don’t feel like I did much today. All I did was have meetings and talk to the people I’m managing about their issues”. What we should slowly realize is that the better question to ask is: “Did I have an impact on someone on the team today?”
This thought is the major difference between a manager who manages and directs and a coach who coaches and cares. Not only that but merely putting the time aside in your calendar to help someone out will make them run out on the field for you and help them realize you care.
“You cannot be an effective problem-solver from a distance. There are details and nuances to problems that you will miss unless you are close enough to observe those details.” – Bryan Stevenson
Conclusion
So where do they want to go? Have you found that out yet? If you’re the coach, they need to hop on board and you need to take them there. If you’ve never found that out and never started up this conversation then, quite literally, you’re both going nowhere.
