Selecting Your Coaching Style

Selecting a coaching style is an important factor in developing a coaching philosophy. Three leadership styles are described in this chapter: command style, submissive style, and cooperative style. These coaching styles are evaluated for their effectiveness in helping coaches and athletes achieve their objectives. The cooperative style is recognized for providing a balance between structure and rules, for giving athletes the opportunity to make decisions and set their own goals, and for having the most potential for achieving objectives related to the development of athletes and to enjoyment of the sport.

Leadership is defined as providing direction, as having a vision of what can be, and as developing an environment to achieve goals the leader has charted. The distinction between leaders and managers is explained.

Transformative leadership is described as a collective process in which coaches and athletes work together to meet individual needs and team goals. Coaches who are transformative leaders influence their teams, and their teams influence them. Important leadership characteristics are identified, defined, and explained: providing direction, creating the vision, and nurturing team culture. Components of a positive team culture are listed and explained.

Knowledge of the sport, motivation, and empathy are identified as qualities of successful coaches. Ideas for enhancing knowledge are outlined. Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and convey sensitivity to athletes. The chapter closes with the National Federation of State High School Coaches Association (NFHS) coaches code of ethics and the proposition that coaches of character exhibit ethical behavior to help athletes develop moral values and good sporting behavior.

I. Three coaching styles

A. Command style (the dictator)

1. Coach makes all decisions.
2. Athletes listen, absorb, and comply.
3. An example of a command coach is Bobby Knight.

B. Submissive style (the baby-sitter)

1. Coaches provide minimal instruction and guidance.
2. Coaches lack competence, are lazy, or are misinformed about coaching.

C. Cooperative style (the teacher)

1. Coaches share decision making with athletes.
2. The challenge of this style is balancing when to direct athletes and when to let them direct themselves.
3. An example of a cooperative coach is Phil Jackson.

D. Coaching styles evaluated

1. Dismiss the submissive style.
2. Command style is not compatible with Athletes First, Winning Second; it may stifle motivation and development objectives and alienate athletes.
3. Cooperative style provides structure and rules and allows athletes to set their own goals and strive for them.
4. Debbie Kiick “cooperates” with her volleyball players.
5. Cooperative-style coaching is more complex and requires more skill.

II. Leadership in coaching

A. Leadership defined

1. Providing direction by having a vision of what can be
2. Developing the social and psychological environment (team culture) to achieve goals the leader has charted
3. Cooperative coach with vision: Tara VanDerveer
4. Distinguishing between leaders and managers: Leaders motivate.
5. Developing interpersonal and communication skills

B. Transformative leadership

1. The collective process includes coaches and athletes working together to meet individual needs and team goals.
2. The coach influences the team; the team influences the coach.
3. Leadership is the wise use of power; respect must be earned.
4. Transformative leaders empower assistants and players to achieve goals.

C. What leaders do: six actions that set leaders apart from followers (p. 38)

D. Providing direction: Leaders provide direction that focuses on the steps that lead to winning and on other goals important to the team.

E. Creating the vision

1. Leaders set realistic goals that beckon the group to action.
2. Leaders strive to obtain commitment to direction through persuasion and enthusiasm.
3. Vision comes mostly through preparation, seeking information, listening to others, and analyzing and interpreting information.
4. Vision comes from educated intelligence and being a student of the game.

F. Nurturing team culture

1. Team culture defined: developing a winning attitude, instilling commitment, inculcating pride, and building team spirit (team psyche)
2. Components of team culture (p. 41)
3. Developing team culture: the Hawthorne studies, demonstrating that paying attention to workers fosters cohesiveness and motivation
4. Signs that indicate your team culture is in trouble (p. 43)
5. Ways to build commitment to a dynamic team culture (p. 43)

III. Three other qualities of successful coaches

A. Knowledge of the sport

1. Knowledge is important for success and fun, protecting athletes from injury and frustration, and gaining credibility for teaching life skills to athletes.
2. Acquire knowledge by playing the sport, completing coaching courses, joining a coaching association, using books and videos, and learning from coaches.

B. Motivation: motivating yourself, making time for being a successful coach

C. Empathy: the ability to understand and convey sensitivity to athletes

1. Listen to athletes and express your understanding.
2. Don’t belittle, chastise, or diminish athletes’ self-worth.
3. Coaches who communicate respect for athletes receive respect.