With the passing of Pat Summitt and Buddy Ryan, the ongoing saga of Jurgen Klinsmann, and a recent feel good story on ESPN, I’ve been reminded recently of the importance of having — and in my mind, being — a good coach. Think about the different coaches you’ve had throughout your life, and not just those guys who wore polyester blend shorts with a supportive waist band. Some of the “team leaders” you’ve served under probably never played sports. In fact, one of the best coaches I ever worked with had zero athletic ability and even less interest, but he was Wooden-esque in his circle of influence.
I’ve also had a few dolts, as well. Most of them were good people with credentials and experience, but they were ineffective and sometimes destructive as leaders. Some of their failures can be attributed to a lack of ability, but I think for most of them, it was an issue of misplaced energy. At some point on the coaching road, they got off at the wrong exit and never recalibrated.
Most of us desire to be an effective, top-tier coach, but if we’re not careful frustration, circumstance, or insecurity will grab the wheel and I’ll be on an off-ramp headed toward one of these unproductive paradigms:
The Critic / Complainer
The fully formed Critic / Complainer appears more in Hollywood than in real life, but his miserable persona leads teams all across the land. The Critic / Complainer is constantly at odds with the officials, the fans, his staff, his players, and probably his family. Oblivious to any positivity or good fortune, the Critic / Complainer drones on and on about never catching a break and how the system is out to get him. Instead of coaching, instructing, or leading, he grouses about being understaffed and underfunded. He wonders aloud about how impossible it is to compete with mediocre talent and an incompetent administration. This chronic negativity is contagious and it spills over into his coaching. Imagine what it would be like to play for the Critic / Complainer. How well would you perform for one whose go to motivation technique is public humiliation? How often would you give your best effort? How much team spirit would you feel? Unfortunately, there are times I see some shades of this dysfunction in the mirror. A string of negative events that lead to stinking thinking is what makes getting off at this exit tempting for me, but don’t take the bait. Do whatever it takes to get out of your head and back to the task at hand.
The Curator
Unlike his negative counterpart, the Curator is usually a really nice guy, but he functions a bit like a Depression baby. A master recruiter, the Curator is obsessed with finding and keeping top quality talent. He may be a smooth talker and a great recruiter, but he is a hoarder of resources. Since he firmly believes that success more about the Jims and Joes than X’s and O’s, he ’s constantly on the lookout the best players hoping to entice them to join his squad– even if they’re on another team. Always on the lookout for low hanging fruit, the Curator has and plays favorites. He compares. He stores. He polishes. He shops. What he doesn’t do is develop. Any success he achieves is from reloading rather than rebuilding — because he doesn’t know how. Securing talent is more valued than developing it. There is not a system of helping team members develop and grow, rather an ongoing cycle of relying on ability and replacing
When a team member stumbles, the Curator’s default question is “Who can I get to replace him?” rather than “How can I help him?”
While he doesn’t believe anyone notices, the Curator also has a pecking order. He gives preferential treatment to team members he sees as irreplaceable giving more time to the priceless pieces of his collection. He spends little time, however, with the non-superstars or “coaching up” his team.
Once your team experiences a little success, the pressure to replicate those results or “move to the next level” increases; or you may find yourself in a “win now” environment. Either way, you’ll be tempted to short-circuit the organic process of development or trade the people who got you there for better talent. Don’t fall for this trap. Coach, don’t curate.
The Commentator
The Commentator is the Cliff Claven of coaches and the one with whom I am most familiar. He talks a good game, knows people, reads books. He’s up to date on all the latest techniques and strategies, but he spends more time with those activities than investing in his players or implementing a strategy. He can explain blocking schemes, the nuances of the game, the mindset of players, and the latest motivational techniques. He attends conferences, goes to camps, and watches videos. He’s well-informed but not high-performing. Unfortunately, this can be my default. I’m afraid this ineffective paradigm is the easiest for me to fall into because all of this activity seems like work and progress, but without implementation information is useless. Peter Drucker’s quote “The best plan is only good intentions unless it degenerates into work.” nails the Achilles heal of the Commentator. How are you doing at actually working your plan?
All of us have areas of responsibility in which we function like a coach. We are called on to develop strategies, lead others, or aid in their development. Chances are you will be calling the plays or blowing the whistle or developing a game plan in some capacity. What kind of coach will you be? Where is your energy going? Will it be put to effective use, or will it cause you to fall into one of these ineffective paradigms?
If you feel like you can never catch a break; if you’re always frustrated with your team and find it hard to celebrate wins or even see progress, you may be a more of a Critic / Complainer more than a coach.
If you find yourself depending on low hanging fruit. If you don’t have the time for player development. If you don’t know how to engage the novice or help one of your team members improve after receiving a negative review, you may be more of a Curator than a Coach.
If you talk a better game than you play; if you know more about your job than how to do your job, you may be more of a Commentator than a Coach.
But if there is any part of you that believes in coaching, you know that you don’t have to stay on this path. Determine where your energy is going and begin now to eliminate unhealthy patterns and implement new practices.
Your team is waiting.
Clavin's lore 