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Are You a Coercive or By Jeff Janssen, M.S., Peak Performance
Coach “My ideas about how to command respect have changed... I've
learned that you can't demand it, or whack it out of people with a
two-by-four. You have to cultivate it, in yourself and those around you.” Pat Summitt, True success as a coach means that you not
only win games and championships, but it also means that you win the respect
of your athletes. In addition to helping you attain a meaningful and lasting
sense of success and satisfaction, winning your players' respect is also the
best way to help them reach their full potential. Coercive Coaches Attempt to Force Respect How do you earn your players' respect? Not too long ago,
most coaches believed that the best way to gain respect was to be a stern,
unemotional, and unrelenting disciplinarian who ordered people around like a
traditional military drill sergeant. These coaches believed that respect must
be demanded from their athletes. So they told people what to do and used
threats and intimidation to get them to do it. They believed that the tougher
they were on their athletes, the more they would respect them. This “command and control” style of leadership we have come to
call coercive coaching. We use the term "coercive" mainly because
athletes follow these coaches not because they want to, but more because they
have to so that they can avoid being physically or mentally tortured. The problem with the coercive approach is
that true respect must be earned from people, not imposed on them. Coercive coaches
force people to follow them out of fear. They make athletes fear them by
punishing, embarrassing, and yelling at them when they make mistakes or break
rules. While their athletes do often comply with their commands, coercive
coaches are not legitimate leaders. They function more like dictators,
intimidators, and masters of manipulation who might be obeyed, but are not
respected. This overbearing and negative approach may
work in the short term, but over the long run it leads to people who feel
discouraged, persecuted, humiliated, and incompetent. It is not
surprising that athletes soon come to resist and resent coercive coaches. “I didn't want to be a dictator to my players or assistant
coaches or managers. For me, concern, compassion, and consideration were
always priorities of the highest order.” John Wooden, Former UCLA Men's Basketball
Coach “Appreciate the fact that you cannot lead without eager
followers.” Pat Summitt, To get a better picture of the coercive
approach, imagine the following scenario: After a tough, close loss to your
rival team, your athletic director strangely appears in your locker room with
a crazed look in his eyes. In front of your entire team he begins screaming
at you at the top of his lungs, “You are such a terrible coach! I can't
believe some of the stupid decisions you made down the stretch. You lost the
game for us. If you don't win next week, I'll fire you and we'll get someone
in here who can actually coach!” He then storms out leaving both you and
your athletes stunned. How would you feel and respond after such a tirade? Fortunately, extremely few athletic
directors would be unprofessional enough to do such a thing. The hypothetical
scenario is totally inappropriate and would likely have a disastrous affect
on all involved. If this coercive approach is so appalling for an athletic
director to use with a coach, why then do so many coaches still use the
coercive approach with their athletes? Perhaps because the coercive coaching
style was somewhat effective years ago primarily because athletes
automatically respected their coach's authority. If a coach said
“Jump,” the athletes jumped, no questions asked. Some coaches thrived in this
era because of their tough, domineering, hard-nosed approach. However, just as society continually
evolves and changes, so too has the kind of coaching to which athletes
respond best. The coercive coaching style, which once seemed to work, has
given way to a more effective style. This approach, which
we call credible coaching, has evolved because people no longer respect
leaders just because of their position or title, but now believe that
leaders must earn their respect. “The most essential thing for a leader to have is the respect
of those under his or her supervision. It starts with giving them respect.” John Wooden, Former UCLA Basketball Coach Credible Coaches Earn Respect Credible coaches earn their athletes'
respect by the way they coach and develop them. First and foremost,
they treat their athletes with dignity and respect and basically abide by the
Golden Rule - they treat people the way they would like to be treated.
Credible coaches are honest and trustworthy in their dealings with their
athletes. They are not afraid to show their athletes how much they care about
them - both as athletes and people. Because credible coaches are so genuine
and inspiring in their approach, they create an environment where athletes
feel valued, appreciated, challenged, and competent. In doing so they build
their athletes' confidence and guide them to their goals. In general, credible coaches build solid relationships with
their athletes based on integrity, compassion, and trust. Our interviews with Mike Krzyzewski, Pat Summitt, Roy Williams, and Gail
Goestenkors for the book The Seven Secrets of Successful Coaches confirm that credible coaching is the best way to help your
athletes develop to their full potential. If you want your athletes to give
you their absolute best, they need to respect you. Athletes consciously or
subconsciously ask themselves "Can I trust you? Do you know what you are
talking about? Are you committed to excellence? Do you care about me?"
Only when your athletes believe you are a credible coach, will they
wholeheartedly follow you. They will give you the most important ingredient
you need to be truly successful - your followers' hearts. Credible coaches know that people will give them their best if
they treat them well and create an environment that is conducive to high
performance. And in turn, their athletes respect them. This article is excerpted from Jeff's book The Seven Secrets of Successful Coaches. Call toll free 1-888-721-TEAM to order your copy today. © Jeff Janssen. Please contact us if you would like permission
to reproduce any of these copyrighted articles in your publication or
website. All articles must include the the following at the end: Jeff Janssen
helps coaches and athletes develop the team chemistry, mental toughness, and
leadership skills necessary to win championships. For more
information on Jeff's programs and resources, visit www.jeffjanssen.com or
call toll free 1-888-721-TEAM. |
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