We coaches play games. Two types of games. James Carse wrote about those two games at length in his book, Finite and Infinite Games, A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility. He details how those games are the essence of what every coach does, and has done, since the first coach started hollering. Understanding these two […]
…but I’m learning
“I’m wrong.” “I don’t understand.” “I don’t know the answer.” “I’m changing my mind.” “I am screwing this up.” As a coach, those are difficult words to think. Harder yet to say in public. Because we fear the repercussions. Our confidence might fade. People could think less of us. What might we lose (like a […]
A Better Coach
It was our third race against this team. And it was the third time we had lost. The races were close, but we just couldn’t push through at the end. The temptation to “do what that other coach was doing” was great. How else were we going to beat them? “Same” is not a friend […]
Shifting Teams
We usually think of a “team” as the players on the field, the court, or on the water. Coach and athletes. But the “team” goes wider. And on any given day (or hour of the day) the team can be vastly different. Shifting Teams An athlete is injured, so today his team is: the athletic […]
Intelligent Losing
There is an intelligence that can come from losing. That may sound crazy or defeatist. But it is true. Certainly, losing can hurt. Burn. Feel like your insides-are-on-the-outside. But when the emotions are less raw, a coach on a path of improvement knows there are lessons that are powerful in the loss. Helpful information for […]
7 Sly Skills of Wicked Good Coaches
Have you been trying to improve your coaching, but it’s not working well? Do you know the simple skills that can make a big difference? I’ve not been in many Cracker Barrel restaurants, but I will remember this one. We were traveling to Boston and stopped to grab a bite. Sitting in the booth behind […]