Great coaching isn’t always a pat on the back.
Occasionally it’s a kick in the butt. The great coaches put in a lot of effort. They are totally committed and they won’t waste time with anyone who isn’t. They choose their players carefully. Talent helps, but the coach knows that will only go so far. Sooner of later everyone has to dig in and work. Even business leaders and parents can find a lot to learn from them.
Great coaches recruit players who will work.
They want players who want it bad. They want those that don’t have to be pushed much. They look for players who have something to prove. But no player is capable of pushing themselves as much as a great coach.
The coach sees their potential.
They have much more experience. They have been down the road before. They may have even been a top player themselves earlier in life. They know what it takes and they know who has the potential to get there.
So they are going to challenge.
They are going to push mentally, physically and emotionally. That’s what coaching is:
- Challenging players to think bigger, go for bigger goals.
- Pushing them physically to get into better shape, stronger than they have ever been.
- Driving them to build confidence and toughness.
- Holding them accountable to perform
- Giving honest feedback to measure progress
Anything they can do to stretch them to bigger achievement builds their potential and opens up possibilities in competition to win battles they might have otherwise lost. A coach who doesn’t challenge isn’t much of a coach.