"Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come." ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17

Lessons Applicable On and Off the Field

Today's Note is written by Jamie Dykstra, a non-fiction ghostwriter of business and leadership books. Prior to starting her own ghostwriting business, she worked in corporate finance and operations. She previously coached high school field hockey, basketball, and softball as well as a travel softball team.

While we all want our athletes to be successful in their sport, what’s more important is ensuring we set them up to be Champions in life. I coached high school sports before moving into the world of corporate finance and then eventually starting my own business. There’s so much that is applicable from the world of sports to our everyday lives. But there are also so many lessons from other areas of life that we can bring to our athletes to set them up for success on and off the field. If I had been a corporate manager before I’d been a high school coach, here are the lessons I would’ve taken with me.

Ownership Allows for Growth

When I first started managing day-to-day tasks in my finance role, I had a micromanaging problem. I’m not proud to admit that, but I did. I thought that by helping this individual see how I had been successful and ensuring she operated the same way, it would be good for both of us. In reality, this stifled her growth, was frustrating to me, and led to a lot of tension. 

Sports are no different. As coaches, we’ve been around the block. We understand the necessary fundamentals, the strategy, and how to structure a team to reach its full potential. But it’s important that we recognize that it isn’t about us. It’s about the athletes. It’s about their growth. 

A team is just that… a team. It’s not a small group of individuals running the show. Being a team means having balance. It means valuing the input and perspectives of all. 

When we allow athletes a certain degree of agency, we give them more opportunities for growth and empower them to be more accountable for the outcomes. This encourages success not only on the field but from the classroom to the boardroom. 

Engaging your team in this way doesn’t mean allowing a free-for-all. It means creating an environment where athletes can showcase their knowledge, experience, and growth. 

Here are some ways to empower your athletes to have more active input:

• Seek feedback from the team after each game on what went well and what challenges the team faced. Be mindful of keeping this focused on skills and strategy rather than individual performances. 
• Allot time each practice to dedicate to drills and strategy that relate to improving upon the challenges that athletes mentioned during debriefs. 
• Be open to new ways of doing things. Many times, athletes are also attending camps or playing on other teams (other sports, travel vs. school, etc). They may bring fresh ideas to the table. 

Open Communication Matters

It'll come as no surprise that communication is key to success in our teams and in life. However, what coaches, managers, athletes, and employees alike often struggle with is open communication.

Early in my career, when I struggled with my micromanaging tendencies, I had a couple of leaders who explained to me what I was doing, how it was detrimental, and ways I could improve upon it. While that conversation wasn’t fun in the moment, it set me up to successfully manage other people and teams in the future. I was grateful for the experience. 

On the flip side, I had worked for someone who I felt was micromanaging and not giving me opportunities to reach my full potential. I struggled through for months before he asked me if I was okay, telling me I didn’t seem like myself. In that moment, I had a meltdown and shared all my concerns. He listened with compassion and actually made changes based on our conversation. His one request…. He wished I’d come to him sooner to have that conversation. 

In sports, especially as coaches, moments that require difficult conversations are inevitable. These conversations may happen with athletes, with parents, with administration, or with other coaches. While these discussions are usually not fun for either party, they open up opportunities for growth and change if we approach them well. As coaches, we need to be the leaders in those moments. 

Furthermore, we shouldn’t always be the initiators of these conversations. It’s also important that we foster an environment in which our athletes feel comfortable approaching us with concerns or questions they may have. It allows us to address grievances early instead of allowing them to fester and impact team culture. More importantly, it helps us develop athletes who are comfortable approaching these conversations in a respectful way later in life. 

Here are some tips to facilitate a productive conversation:

• Be prepared with specific examples. Statements that are generic and broad can often be misunderstood or received poorly. Providing specific examples creates a more objective and productive discussion on how to improve. 
• Be open-minded. As coaches, we aren’t always right. There may be some team dynamic playing out that we aren’t aware of. We should be open to listening to other perspectives and proposed solutions. 
• Always be armed with respect and compassion. These conversations are often challenging for both sides. No matter what happens, respect and compassion should be at the forefront of your approach. Be a leader in keeping the situation calm and productive.

Reduce Uncertainty

Uncertainty is draining. Plain and simple. When we’re uncertain, we start to fill in the blanks ourselves. This leads to expending unnecessary mental energy, builds up unnecessary stress, and creates opportunities for issues to arise. 

Uncertainty comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. When I left the corporate world, I was uncertain what my next move would be. That was a massive level of uncertainty to navigate. But uncertainty can also arise in how we operate day-to-day. Later in my corporate career, I led a new team that was executing new processes. Putting together a calendar each quarter was the simplest way to make sure everyone was on the same page and knew what to expect. 

Sports are no different. Athletes often wonder what to expect. Will there be a ton of conditioning at practice today? Who’s going to be starting? Will we get to scrimmage each other? There can also be greater degrees of uncertainty that arise as situations unfold throughout the season. 

By reducing uncertainty for your team, you help ease their minds, allowing them to focus on their development and the success of the team. This also mitigates the opportunity for new drama or issues to pop up. It’s human nature that when we’re not sure what to expect, we fill in the story ourselves. It’s also human nature that we talk to others about this. Being as clear and transparent as possible helps keep the rumor mill quiet. 

Here are some simple ways that you can reduce uncertainty for your teams:

• Develop practice plans and share them with your teams. 
• Choose a specific method of communication and be consistent in using it. 
• Maintain consistent gameday routines. 

Sports are not separate from everyday life but rather serve as a container for learning and growth for athletes to be Champions later in life. How can you apply lessons you’ve learned from experiences off the field to your coaching style?

To connect with Jamie, send her an email at jamie@jamiedykstra.com or find her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-dykstra/.
 

"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." ~ Proverbs 27:17
 

A Prayer for Coaches

Lord, bless these young athletes who you have entrusted to my care. I pray that through the hard work of practice and competition, that they may develop in physical skill, mental strength, and as teammates and friends. Most all, I pray that through the sports in which we participate, they may grow closer to You, recognizing that all they are given is a gift and that all we do is for Your Glory. May you keep them healthy in mind, body and soul, and help them to grow in both victory and defeat. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.