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| Cultivate Individual Talents |
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| by Coach Doug Reese, TTNL |
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| Don't try to perfect each of your athletes. Instead do everything you can to help each athlete cultivate his talents. |
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| Great coaches will tell you to focus on each person's strengths and manage around his weaknesses. Don't try to fix the weaknesses. The lesson? Don't try to perfect each of your athletes. Instead do everything you can to help each athlete to cultivate their talents. Help each athlete to become more of who he already is. Keeping in mind that this does not mean the athletes cannot do things differently. Skills and knowledge are malleable. Talent, however, is not.
Great coaches can describe in detail the unique talents of each of their people:
- what drives each one
- how each one thinks
- how each one builds relationships
Ask your athletes about their goals, about where they see their career heading, and how they want to interact with you. Other great questions for your athletes are:
- Do you want public recognition or private? Written or verbal?
- Tell me about the most meaningful recognition you ever received. Why was it memorable?
- How do you learn best?
- Who was the best coach you had? How did he or she help you?
Great coaches consistently reject the "Golden Rule": Don't treat your people as you would like to be treated... treat them how each of them would like to be treated.
The hardest thing about being a coach is realizing that your people will not do things the way you would. But get used to it. Because if you try to force them to, two things happen. They become resentful - they don't want to do it, or they will become dependent - they can't do it. And neither is productive over the long haul.
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Copyright © 2000-2004, TTNL Sports Network |
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