Coaching to create a positive energy around a team is central to creating team success and a great program. In ‘The Energy of Positive Leadership Creates Team Success’, we explore the energy around teams heading in the right direction. A positive energy is generated by many factors, many of which the coaches completely control. These factors include:
- Relationships
- Coaching vs yelling
- Accountability
- Respect
Positive Relationships Create a Positive Energy
At the core of any great team are strong relationships. Do the coaches know their players? Where they come from or what makes them ‘tick’? Do the players know the coaches? Do the players have a connection with the coaches and the program?
Getting to know your players is the beginning of the coaching process. Talk is cheap in this process though; people pay more attention to what you do than what you say. Athletes will do about anything for a coach that can demonstrate they genuinely care for them as people. Performance on the field must be pursued by a great coach but it can’t be the only focus. Great coaches expect athletic and personal growth alike. This focus promotes positive relationships and an overall positive energy.
Positive Coaching vs Yelling
A yelling coach can make a difference for a team as long as the relationship is strong and the intent is positive. Coaches must push athletes and hold them accountable. Yelling can be effective if the intent is understood. Yelling just to yell or express frustration at specific players is rarely effective.
My simple question is, am I coaching or am I just yelling? Many have experienced coaches that their yelling creates a negative energy. The coach was negative in the yelling. Many have experienced coaches that by yelling, a positive energy is created. This should be the goal! Coaches should use yelling as a tool not to belittle a player or team, but instead to build them up and motivate. To coach!
Accountability
The standard for each player on a team must be the same. School administrators can be a part of the problem but the coaches must adamant to create and uphold a standard. The quickest way to lose part of your team is to hand out discipline differently based on the player.
This also applies to ‘on field’ performance. Set a standard, communicate the standard and hold everyone to that standard. Just be consistent with all players. If a mistake by a player X causes them to be removed from the game, the same result should apply to player Y if they make the same mistake. This should be simple but it rarely plays out this way.
It is true that all situations are different and that circumstances will vary. If you go into the ‘gray area’ for one player, be prepared to do the same for another. I suggest to set reasonable disciplinary policies/expectations and expect each player to uphold their end of the bargain. If they don’t, just be consistent and remember to coach through everything.
Trust and Respect
If you can reasonably accomplish the previous 3, you are well on your way to have earned the player’s trust and respect. Remember, a players trust and respect is earned! Adults often times believe that youth should and will automatically respect them because they are an adult. This isn’t true, earn it!
As the coach, you should also be trying to build your own trust and respect for the players. As the relationship grows, the respect on both sides should grow. Make them earn your trust and respect! Once they have, show them they have earned it.
Positive Energy Comes from the Heart
Great coaches are highly under appreciated. It’s not always easy to pin point who they are and sometimes the results aren’t readily apparent. I judge the success of a coach more based on the program rather than wins and losses only. Is the program growing, is there excitement in the program and what is the impact the program is having on the athletes as people. If these are all positive, then they likely have positive coaching leadership.
The principles that form great teams also apply to families and the workplace. Relationships, positive energy, accountability, trust and respect are all central to life and sports. Through life, these principles can guide us to greatness in all that we do!
BtL
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