The Complete Coach

The complete coach
Coaching is by no means an exact science. Completely different styles of coaching can work at different times and with different teams, whilst sometimes the world’s best coaches can fail with a certain team as a successful coach-team fit just did not exist. However in studying various trends and asking top coaches it appears that certain commonalties do exist in being a complete coach. Ten aspects have been listed here. It is always important for coaches to play to their strengths, but work on their weaknesses.

1. Sound Technical Ability
• A deep enough knowledge of your field so that you can add value and understand the bigger picture of what your team needs to achieve
• A knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses so that you can bring in outside help in needed areas and be comfortable to do so.
• An ability to lead in your area even if you do have technical shortfalls.

2. Talent identification
• An ability to identify top talent from a vast pool
• The ability to select the best possible team combinations for team success

3. A Values-based individual
• A coach aims to be the character that he wishes to develop in his players
• Shows honesty and integrity in all his dealings with players
• Shows ability to work with other members of management staff as well as with players, displaying similar team ethic in both his dealings with staff and players

4. Commitment
• Displays a passion for the game, and the team
• Shows 100% commitment to current team despite any other interests or aspirations
• Shows high levels of enthusiasm and energy
• A competitive nature
• A resilience and commitment to take on board setbacks and criticism, to learn from them and to stay enthused

5. Care
• Shows an interest in player’s well-being and outside interests
• Takes account of external factors that may affect players performance and seeks to rectify them
• Shows a general empathy to players
• Has ability to take pressure of the players to allow them to play freely.

6. Confidence-Builders
• Ability to make players feel good about themselves and their play
• Creates environment where players feel confident about themselves and their team mates.
• Helps players set goals for themselves and identifies tools and processes to achieve them
• Has ability to balance challenging players and supporting players to get them in best frame of mind
• Has ability to correctly mentally prepare players

7. Motivational
• Ability to fire players up to optimal motivational levels, and push players to be best they can be
• Knows what best methods to use with each player to motivate them
• Knows the difference between motivating through fear and pressure and getting people to want to succeed for themselves and team
• Can motivate teams and players whilst maintaining a focus on processes and tasks

8. Communication
• Has ability to communicate clearly and is listened to by all
• Allows for open two-way communication at all times
• Has a knack for knowing when to say what to players
• Can re-focus a team very quickly when required
• Has a way of listening to people so always aware of what is going on in the team

9. Consistency
• Display a consistency with players in their behaviours and treatment of them
• Have a courage in their convictions and stay true to themselves when in doubt
• They take setbacks and successes in their stride and maintain calm and collected throughout
• Show consistency in moods with players and bear no grudges so as players and staff alike know where they stand at all times

10. Adaptability
• Are able to move with current trends
• Show a continuous propensity to learn and improve as coaches
• Show a desire for change and leading innovation
• Have an ability to read opponents and situations and adapt style accordingly
• Can read a team dynamic and use whatever style is necessary for that situation
These guidelines will be very useful for coaches who wish to use proper introspection and evaluation of their styles and methods. The more honest they are , the more useful they will find it to be. Remember that everything can be worked on and improved, and that it is still necessary to use your areas of strength to your advantage.