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BY COL. STEPHEN T. MESSENGER
Commander, Fort McCoy Garrison
It’s about that time when local Wisconsin youth sports are about to start. One thing I love is watching coaches.
Sports coaches have a wide range of leadership styles, from complete stoicism to fully (albeit sometimes too) engaged. In these youth sports leagues, coaches see children rotate in and out of their programs, and they have indelible impacts on them for the rest of their lives — good or bad.
Across the nation, the leadership of coaches is talked about at dinner tables every night.
There’s a wide gap between an outstanding coach and a “we just need a coach” volunteer, just like there’s a wide gap between a leader at your work and someone who’s just supervising.
While coaching youth sports and leading your organization are completely different, many of the traits that make a good coach also make a good leader.
I had the opportunity a few years ago to assistant coach soccer under one of the best coaches I’ve met: Coach Austin.
Here’s where he excelled on the pitch and where we all can emulate off it.
Technically Proficient. The best leaders are students of the game. Coach Austin played at the national level and now passes on his knowledge to 12- and 13-year-olds. Every week he taught them a different skill to gain a competitive advantage. Leaders should know their people’s tasks.
To truly understand how to lead, they need to be able to teach the details of what their employees do every day. Your job is to create efficiencies.
Hold High Standards. Our coach was constantly analyzing and providing feedback on each movement and kick from the players. He holds them to a high standard — if it’s wrong, do it again.
Mediocre leaders don’t know the standards themselves and when they do, they don’t correct mistakes. If a leader isn’t going to hold people accountable, why are they there?
Provide Positive Feedback. Phil Jackson, a former Los Angeles Lakers coach, tried to provide five positive comments for every one negative to his players.
Our coach was a positive feedback machine. He rotated around the field and continuously complimented each player on how they’re doing, even if it was just effort. At work, we can all do better at recognizing our people on their work that often go unnoticed.
It’s All about Getting Better. Actor Dave Waters once said: “If a company isn’t continuously improving then it is slowly dying.” Our coach understood that everyone enters at a different level, and success is measured by overall development, not the number of wins.
He knew every touch of the soccer ball was a chance to improve. Often leaders solely focus on short-term wins at the expense of long-term gains. There must be a balance in deepening the bench and cross-training.
Extremely Fun. The older I get, the more convinced I am that if a leader isn’t having fun, they need to find a new job.
Coach loved to be on the field. He loved to instruct. He loved to make practice not just challenging, but enjoyable through games, competitions, and jokes. If you as a leader aren’t having fun, your people aren’t having fun.
Create Lasting Bonds. Coach Austin took extra care to learn each kid’s name on the first practice and use it often. He knew something personal about everyone and tried to make lasting connections.
Even after only being in the league a year, he knew kids on the other teams, and they all wanted to come over and say hi. The best leaders offer ways to connect even after leaving an organization. Leadership doesn’t end when people separate from work.
Instead, it lasts for years and years.
Sports coaching and organizational leadership have a lot of similarities. At work and at home, we all need to lead more like our kid’s soccer coach!
| Date Taken: | 08.08.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 08.08.2023 23:04 |
| Story ID: | 450985 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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