I talked to a former teammate last night. The conversation consisted of leadership, and the mistakes that leaders often make. After our conversation I decided to make a list of leadership mistakes in coaching. However, these mistakes are often made in every profession. Here are my top 6:
1. Making emotional decisions
2. Inconsistency
3. Lack of communication
4. Assuming
5. Overlooking the good
6. Excuses for talent
"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." John Maxwell
1. Making emotional decisions
- Responding to how you feel vs. what they need
- Bad shot, bad pass, bad defensive positioning: Keep negative reactions to a minimum because they are watching you
- Reaction substitutions: it is okay to be mad at a player. Just don't make a emotional substitution that can cost you the game
2. Inconsistency
- Saying one thing then doing another, or saying different things can damage a program
- Develop a culture and standards, and live by them
- Live up to clearly defined standards or don't define them
- It's not bad to make mistakes just explain them
3. Lack of communication
- Uncomfortable conversations are better than none
- Let others know what you want
- It's okay not to not always have all the answers. Don't be afraid to say "I don't know" while you figure them out.
- Must find a balance so everyone is on the page
4. Assuming
- Don't assume your staff knows what you want or need
- Some things may be bit "elementary" and players should know certain things at a certain level. Don't assume your players know things you have not taught (think back to the bad coaches/managers you've had)
- Don't assume, perform
5. Overlooking the good
- More times than not the smart, tough and SIMPLE get overlooked. When you expect you forget to appreciate.
- When things are going bad the focus is usually on the bad. Take a second everyday and look at the positives in your life and program.
6. Excuses for talent
- If it's not okay for a manager it shouldn't be okay for the star
- Does your 'best player' get the same consequences as the last guy on the bench
- Talent shouldn't affect the the culture
"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." John Maxwell