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If the sardonic artist Harland Miller was to design a book cover to highlight an uncomfortable truth about motivation it would state something like: ‘Motivation Ain’t All It’s Hyped Up To Be.’ Most publications you read on the subject tend to refer to two types of motivation, extrinsic and intrinsic. Likewise authors on the subject, in most cases, refer to one of the main responsibilities of a sports coach as motivating athletes. With their leader centric views they are also likely to discuss the motivation styles seen in effective sports coaches – three big myths.
Regarding extrinsic motivation – the first big myth – the term infers that somehow external forces can, by themselves, motivate athletes – they cannot. The truth is that all motivation is sourced from within an individual’s own mind and, therefore, by definition is intrinsic. It is impossible, without extreme physical force, to make anyone do something that they do not choose to do. As the old adage states: ‘you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink’ or ‘you can serve a child green vegetables with their meal but you can’t force the child to eat them.’ The French philosopher Jean-Paul Satre supports this pointing out that: ‘Man is condemned to be free… he is responsible for everything he does’ – he has a choice.
Having said the above, however, there are many external sources of influence that can affect athletes’ levels of motivation many of which are outside the sports coach’s power to change. Sports coaches have to stop thinking that they are the only source of motivational influence and sole contributor to athletes’ performances. Whilst effective sports coaches can be very influential so too can parents, relatives, peers, school teachers and close friends. The mind of an athlete is socially constructed which affects the way they think and behave. It is the cultural influences of values and beliefs, however, that will impact most.
A child born in India is more likely to be drawn towards cricket rather than rugby. A child born in Australia or New Zealand will, most likely, be attracted towards rugby or cricket rather than soccer. The most powerful influences on levels of motivation, therefore, come from what they value most within their social setting. The external social influences in the milieu are complex, diverse and many are outside a sports coach’s control. However, what an effective coach can do is understand the athletes’ wider personal needs and focus on the environmental conditions that meet those needs – ones which they can act upon.
Two helpful theorists who have categorised human needs are Abraham Maslow and Frederick Herzberg. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory (Hygiene and Motivators) provide useful insights that include elements that the sports coach can address and which can influence athletes’ levels of motivation. Creating a context that meets an athlete’s physiological, safety, social, esteem and achievement needs, as identified by Maslow, can have a motivational influence. Providing opportunities to athletes, developing their skills and fitness, rewarding and recognising them and helping them grow as individuals, as Herzberg suggests, will also have a significant impact on athlete motivation. There is a need, however, to consider seriously what the athlete values and believes.
As an example I had a young swimmer who, in my view, was destined for the top levels within the sport. He reminded me very much of Mark Spitz and had outstanding ability in both the Butterfly and Front Crawl. As a new trainer in management and leadership I was aware of Maslow and Herzberg and endeavoured to implement all of their recommendations. Unfortunately, despite my efforts the young boy was not motivated as a swimmer – his heart was in soccer. The point I am making is that despite all of the external stimuli being in place they had no real affect – he just did not value swimming and that was that! This confirmed to me that motivation as influence is all intrinsic.
Leading on from this the second great myth is that the sports coach has a responsibility to motivate and inspire their athletes. As coaches we have all experienced a pushy parent who asks you to motivate their child. I even had one parent say to me: “Put a rocket up his backside – he’s a lazy little devil.” The truth is that motivation is not a property possessed by the coach that can be used on athletes. The coach can create a context that has a positive influence on athletes. They may, through rhetoric, affect athletes’ thought processes but they cannot use a property called motivation and they have no direct control over athletes’ motivational levels. So to add it as a responsibility on a sports coach’s job description is nonsensical.
The final myth relates to sports coach’s ‘motivational styles’ which, in essence, is no more than a behavioural style. First we had managerial styles, then leadership styles followed by coaching styles. It is axiomatic that the way a sports coach acts, in the presence of their athletes, can affect their motivation. If a sports coach treats their athletes with non-judgemental positive regard, provides for the athletes’ needs, as already discussed, and creates a positive trusting culture then, of course, it will help influence athletes’ motivation.
As sports coaches we should remember that there is a multiplicity of external factors that can influence athletes’ motivation. The sports coach can create a context that has the potential to motivate athletes. We should, however, remember that an athlete will hold values and beliefs that are a product of socialisation and personal experiences that may negate whatever a sports coach does. We do not possess a special property called motivation that we can use on athletes. What an athlete is motivated towards is personal to them and hence intrinsic. Buzz phrases like motivational styles can mask the real need to act in a positive way towards the athlete as though they are a valued and loyal friend. If as sports coaches we can avoid the psychobabble and treat others as we would like to be treated all will be well.