| Sports Coaches all have a preferred coaching style. A | | | | change their technique is the amount of credibility the |
| coaching style is a way of behaving. Coaches spend | | | | coach has in the eyes of the athlete. For example, if |
| most of their time using their preferred coaching | | | | the athlete's previous coach has taught them a |
| style. Sometimes this style works well for them. | | | | certain technique and it is deemed ineffective, then |
| Sometimes it doesn't. Knowing what your coaching | | | | unless the athlete's current coach has greater |
| style is and being able to change it, is critical in order | | | | credibility than the athlete's old coach, there will be no |
| to appeal to the different types of athletes that you | | | | change in technique. This is because the athlete does |
| coach. Using a style that is incompatible with your | | | | not believe in the new coach as compared to their |
| athlete's needs will result in you becoming frustrated | | | | belief in the old coach. Building the credibility is about |
| that the athlete is not making changes and it will also | | | | showing your desire to adapt to the athlete's need |
| result in the athlete becoming frustrated that they | | | | (see previous article on Adaptability) and then show |
| are not being coached effectively. The problem is, so | | | | your expertise in the athlete's eyes. |
| often I have seen the incorrect coaching style used | | | | What is interesting in sport today, is the amount of |
| with the previously mentioned results yet no-one | | | | information on topics critical to performance such as |
| knew why the problem was occurring. The coach | | | | nutrition, sports science, bio mechanics. Yet show me |
| just gave up and the athlete left to be coached by | | | | the same depth of information on how to build |
| someone else or they left the sport altogether. | | | | effective relationships and rapport with your athletes. |
| Using the Athlete DISC profile, will enable you to | | | | Business has recognized the need to develop the |
| identify your coaching style. When your athletes also | | | | management and leadership skills of its people years |
| complete their profile, the information you get will | | | | ago. In sport many people still seem to be caught up |
| enable you to use the correct style with each | | | | with training programs and sports science. Believe me |
| athlete. Coach behavior should be a way to connect | | | | I know this is important. I won three Olympic medals |
| athlete understanding with the concepts and skills the | | | | and used every piece of sport science and bio |
| coach is trying to improve within the objectives of | | | | mechanical help I could, but it was the ability of my |
| the session (Hall & Smith 2006). With each of the | | | | coach who really enabled me to be my best. Actually, |
| four behavioral styles outlined in the Athlete DISC, | | | | by the end of my career, my coach could do |
| there's a different way to communicate, connect | | | | everything a sport science tester did and he |
| with, provide feedback and motivate and counsel | | | | understood the bio mechanics of my sport to a |
| them. How to do all this is the basis of our Coach | | | | degree that exceeded many experts in the field. |
| Education webinars and the purpose of this article is | | | | What my coach did better than any other coach I |
| to explain how to generally learn more about the | | | | have seen, is his ability to build rapport with his |
| coaching styles and how to be more effective in | | | | athletes, establish enormous credibility and develop |
| coaching your athletes. | | | | the highest level of respect. To us, he was (and is to |
| If you are the Coach, are you the leader? | | | | others today) a coach who was athlete centered, |
| First, recognize that as a coach you are a leader. As | | | | where he adjusted his style to suit the needs of his |
| a leader you have certain amounts of power. Your | | | | athletes. I guess that is why he is Head Coach of |
| power will essentially come from two sources: | | | | one of the largest nations in the world. Personal |
| "position power" and "personal power." Position | | | | power--in essence, your skill in dealing with people--is |
| power is just what it sounds like--you're the Coach | | | | increasingly crucial to you and your role as coach. |
| so a certain amount of power comes from being | | | | In short, if you respect your athletes' individuality, |
| anointed by the Club or Team Management for this | | | | their essential differences, they'll feel like they're on a |
| role. | | | | winning team and will work harder, better for you. |
| But personal power comes from earning it, from | | | | But you must empower them rather than just |
| developing it. Position power is a starting point for | | | | seeking power over them. You can do that by |
| coaching an athlete or team, but it's personal power | | | | learning to listen, observe, and talk to them. And then |
| enables a coach to go from a coaching style that | | | | adapting so they'll feel important, wanted and highly |
| considers the needs of the athlete first and then fits | | | | valued, this will build their self-esteem and that will |
| the style of coaching required to these needs. | | | | increase their confidence in themselves. We all know |
| Personal power is also based on coaches building | | | | the results that genuinely self-confident athletes can |
| respect and credibility in the eyes of their athletes. It | | | | achieve. Want to know your coaching style? |
| is well known that a critical condition for an athlete to | | | | |