-
Sport Has To Be Fun
Most, if not all, sports are still games at their core. That matters. Before trophies, scholarships, contracts, or status, sport should be fun first, especially for the players. It should not matter whether you are in the World Cup final or in a pickup game at the neighborhood court. We […]
-
How Do We Communicate with Each Other and Together in a Team?
Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful team interactions and a prerequisite for highperformance. Building a productive communication network within a team requires understanding,trust, and the conscious application of communication best practices. Two-Way Street Communication is a two-way process and it not only involves how you send messages, but also […]
-
From Me to We: Promoting Team Cohesion Among Youth Athletes
Have you coached a high school sports program for many years? Have you volunteered to coach a youth sports team in a recreational league? Either way, team cohesion dramatically impacts the success of your program and you as a coach. What is team Cohesion? Imagine a sports team as a […]
-
Mending Crushed Spirits – How to Approach a Bad Performance
Many athletes have experienced what it’s like to leave the court or field and prepare themselves mentally only to have coaches criticize them for a subpar performance. Players just need some time to think things through since they’ve heard enough. On the flip side, coaches feel compelled to speak frankly […]
-
Encouraging Athletes to Take Ownership: A Coach’s Influence
Coaches play a critical role in fostering a sense of ownership in athletes. This journey extends beyondsimply being responsible for individual performance. Instead, it encapsulates contributing to collectivesuccess and fostering a healthy team culture (Lemyre, Trudel, & Durand-Bush, 2007). Encouragingathletes to take ownership is a complex, yet rewarding endeavor that […]
-
Understanding Communication Style in a Team Context: A Key to Effective Leadership
Effective communication lies at the heart of every successful team. Clear and effective communication iscentral to team cohesion and overall performance. As a coach, understanding how your communicationstyle impacts the team, athletes, staff, and fellow coaches can be a game-changer for your leadershipapproach. Your Unique Communication Style Everyone possesses a […]
-
How to Cut a Player: A Guide for Coaches
A coach I know called me last week saying she didn’t know who else to talk to about a problem. What she brought up is one too few athletic administrators give coaches much advice about how to cut a player. Cutting a player is among the most difficult things a […]
-
Identifying Your Preferred Leadership Style and its Impact on the Team
Understanding one’s leadership style is a crucial aspect of effective management and teamdevelopment. Leadership styles directly influence team performance, athlete satisfaction, and theoverall success of an organization. This article examines the process of identifying one’s preferredleadership style and its potential impact on team dynamics. Different leadership styles carry different characteristics, […]
-
Emotional Intelligence and Self-Awareness: The Building Blocks of Team Success
The success of any team, whether it’s in a sports, business, or any other context, hinges on effectiveleadership. A crucial part of this leadership equation is the leader’s emotional intelligence (EI) and self-awareness, two aspects that have gained considerable recognition in recent years for their influence onteam performance and satisfaction. […]
-
Kim Mulkey: What She Might Have Said Better – A Case Study
By Robert Boland & Jeff Chatterton As a sports lawyer (Bob) and a crisis communications advisor (Jeff) who have worked together before, and will again, LSU Women’s Basketball Coach Kim Mulkey and her pre-emptive attack on The Washington Post and noted sports journalist Kent Babb, who was authoring a forthcoming […]
-
Aligning Personal and Coaching Goals: The Journey to Team Success
Many coaches grapple with differentiating their personal aspirations from their coaching goals, and howthese two facets can be harmoniously intertwined. While personal goals tend to revolve around thecoach’s individual development, coaching goals are generally linked to the team’s progress andachievements. Personal goals can vary widely amongst coaches—ranging from expanding their […]
-
How Do My Goals Align with the Organization’s Goals?
In the rapidly evolving work and coaching environments, finding alignment between individual and organizational goals is of paramount importance. Aligning coaches’ personal aspirations with strategic organizational goals significantly and positively impacts the team and organization’s performance and competitiveness. It is critical to understand the differentiation between personal and organizational goals. […]
-
Fitting Individual Values within the Organizational Canvas: A Harmonious Alignment
In an era where organizations continually strive for creating a value-centric culture, the alignment between individual and organizational values has come to the fore (Shuck & Rose, 2013). This alignment is not just a cornerstone for an individual’s job satisfaction and engagement, but it also fosters organizational success. Coaches who […]
-
Identifying How My Strengths Support the Team
As a sports coach or leader, understanding your strengths and leveraging them to support the team is crucial. Coaches need to understand why it’s essential to identify your strengths and how they can significantly impact your team’s overall performance. Research suggests that leaders who know their strengths can perform more […]
-
Aligning Personal and Coaching Goals: The Journey to Team Success
Many coaches grapple with differentiating their personal aspirations from their coaching goals, and how these two facets can be harmoniously intertwined. While personal goals tend to revolve around the coach’s individual development, coaching goals are generally linked to the team’s progress and achievements. Personal goals can vary widely amongst coaches—ranging […]
-
Facilitating Goal Achievement: The Role of the Coach in Sports Organizations
As coaches, we strive to lead our teams to success, but what role do we play in helping our sports organization reach its broader goals? This article discusses the multifaceted role of the coach in facilitating goal achievement within a sports organization. Coaches serve a critical function as the conduit […]
-
What Is the Best Version of Myself? A Self-Exploration in Sports Coaching
Lao Tzu, an ancient philosopher once said: “Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power”. In coaching, the journey towards self-improvement and personal mastery is not just beneficial, it is crucial. This journey starts with a critical question: What is […]
-
How Do I Help the Organization Reach Success? A Coach’s Guide
Being a sports coach is more than just guiding a team to victories on the field. It involves building a culture, fostering resilience, developing athletes’ skills, and driving the success of the entire organization (Mallett & Lara-Bercial, 2016). It begins with creating an environment conducive to growth and excellence. As […]
-
Understanding Your Role in Driving the Organization Forward
Being part of a sports organization is more than just taking up a position; it’s about embodying a role that influences and shapes the direction of the team. As a coach, your role is instrumental in guiding the organization towards its desired future. This article aims to help you understand […]
-
What Do I Bring to the Organization? Harnessing Your Unique Contribution to Your Sports Team
“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” – Simon Sinek In any sports organization, the individuals involved contribute to its culture, performance, and overall success (Reiche, Bird, Mendenhall, & Osland, 2017). A coach’s role is particularly crucial, offering guidance, motivation, […]
-
Why Am I Here / Why Are We Here Together?
Unpacking Individual and Collective Purpose in Sports Leadership Understanding one’s purpose in any venture can be the defining factor that determines success or failure, joy or discontent. The same holds for sports coaching, an occupation where the stakes can be high, and the payoff is often more about personal fulfillment […]
-
Beyond Winning: Defining Success in Sports Organizations
Success – a seven-letter word that drives organizations, individuals, and indeed, our societies. Yet, this concept varies widely based on individual beliefs, cultural nuances, and organizational goals. Especially in the context of sports organizations, success can be a multifaceted and complex construct to define. Traditionally, success in sports has been […]
