The Necessary Coaching Skills

Lately I have been spending quite a bit of time talking with clients about their coaches and the impact of those coaches on performance.

Hiring coaches

Coaches have never really been chosen for their love of people. Just like every other job where people are hired to do a job, coaches are chosen for their technical skill and ability and their experience in the sport (as a coach and/or athlete).

That is not to say that some coaches do not have the ability to be personable, caring, and supportive but that it’s more than likely not the case particularly for Olympic, professional and elite coaches. They get paid to bring home the money or the gold.

Hiring a coach in 2012

So the fact of the matter is that we still need coaches with technical skill and ability however times are changing and I am always amazed that organizations don’t hire coaches who are also committed to building relationships with their athletes.

I have been fortunate enough to be able to work with coaches in helping them develop both (all) sides to themselves as a coach. It does not have to be one or the other.

My coaching experience

For 12 years, I coached mainly beginner, women triathletes. Throughout those years I coached a lot of people. Never did I have an unhappy athlete or one who did not complete their race. Why? I was supportive, affirming, positive, communicative, etc. And I was ‘in it’ with them. I rode with them. I ran with them. I talked them through open water swims.

All of this is great but the enduring part of my coaching years and the reason I am friends with many of my former athletes is because I built a relationship (similar to any relationship) of trust and respect.

Unconsciously

Unconsciously, athletes see their coaches as an extension of their parents and they think that their coaches are going to be affirming, personable, caring, and supportive. This is what most athletes really want their coaches to be. Because they are spending so much time with them (growing and developing) athletes think that coaches have their ‘best interest at heart’. This is not always true and leaves athletes feeling empty, lonely, less motivated and lacking confidence.

Develop a motivational coaching philosophy

What’s your coaching philosophy? Are you a command or cooperative style coach? A coach’s philosopher and style has a huge impact on an athletes motivation and partly determines how successful an athlete will become.

To figure out your coaching style it’s important to think about your overall coaching philosophy. In order to develop your coaching philosophy you’ll need to develop some deeper self awareness. You can do this by asking yourself some or all of the following questions:

• Who am I?
• What do I want in life?
• Where am I going?
• What are my goals?
• Why do I coach?
• Am I coaching for the right reasons?
• Am I a good coach?
• What would make me a better coach?
• What are my goals as a coach?
• Which is more important, winning or the athlete?
• Am I a command or cooperative coach?

Two main styles: command and cooperative

Your philosophy helps determine what kind of a coach you will be. It is the foundation for who you are and what you value about coaching and value in your players. Your philosophy helps determine whether you will be a command or cooperative style coach.

The command style of coaching uses the win first philosophy. These coaches favor extrinsic motivation, they feel responsible for directing, motivating, controlling and persuading players and they use rewards and punishments. Some reasons explained for why command style coaches coach in this manner is because they have low self esteem, they’ve played for a similar style coach and they are low in empathy.

Cooperative style coaches on the other hand, have an athlete’s first philosophy. They favor intrinsic motivation and feel that motivation, potential for development, capacity for assuming responsibility, the ability to work toward individual and team goals are present or can be developed and that it’s the coaches responsibility to help athletes develop these qualities through sport. Some reasons explained for why cooperative style coaches coach in this manner is because they have high self esteem, they’ve played for a similar style coach and they are high in empathy.

‘If I can supply you with a thought you may remember it or not, but if I can make you think a thought for yourself, I have indeed added to your stature- Elbert Hubbard’. What does this mean? It’s basically saying that as a coach you can tell your players what to do (command) or you can help support them to figure it out (cooperative).

Communication skills

At the core of your philosophy and style is your ability to communicate. The most important skill for coaches is the ability to communicate effectively. Communication is what separates successful coaches from less successful coaches. Communication skills should be aligned with your coaching philosophy and coaching style and is another important element in supporting a player’s intrinsic motivation.

Do you think athletes perform better for for coaches for are commanding or cooperative?

Happy Monday!

Dr. Michelle

Photo credit: momsteam.com