Lately, I’ve been watching clips of NBA Open Court, which is a talk show featuring several retired NBA stars.
What intrigued me the most, was the clip about the players relaying their experiences playing under great coaches.
They talk about a lot of things under the sun, all the while being their entertaining selves. They talked about their careers, who were the best players, most memorable plays and moments. They also talked about what worked for them, and what led them to their successful careers and moments.
And how instrumental those coaches, and their coaching, were to their success, not only on the court, but off the court as well.
Coaching Gets You Through Adversity
Kenny Smith shared that bad coaches say that the team has to stick together, and that the team has got to lock arms, but when trouble strikes, they pull the arms apart, by what they say or decide to do.
“Great coaches, don’t care if they get fired… Don’t care if they’re coaching a wreck. They’re going to have the same philosophy whether they’re coaching a 3rd grade team, or an NBA team. And they’re going to stick with it.”
Great coaching pulls people through tough times, and does so bringing them to a better state, and a better place. They provide a consistency to weather through uncertain and changing conditions, and at the same time, providing the push and urgency to take action to move ahead from that troubled situation.
Coaching allows people to see with better clarity where they are, and to get support to take action to get where they are right now, to where they want to go. Great coaching also provides support during tough times.
Coaching Brings Out Your Excellence
Chauncey Billups shared that “the great coaches, coached the great players the hardest.” There was no settling for mediocrity. Great coaching wants to draw the excellence from each and every individual.
And before that can be done, great coaching seeks first to know and find out the uniqueness and potential excellence of each person. Shaquille O’Neal shares a great story about Phil Jackson, 11-time NBA champion coach:
“Phil is really a master psychologist. He would interview you, [for] a couple of hours, pass out books on… what type of person he thought you represented. He gave me a book [on] Friedrich Nietzsche… Nietzsche was so crazy that he, actually, was a genius. And that’s what Phil thought of me. He knew what buttons to push to tick me off.”
Coaching pushes persons to go for excellence, to push further than what they are currently capable, and to deliver top-quality performance, and expect that as the normal.
Great coaches seek to know what makes a person tick, and where their areas of greatest potential lie. Phil Jackson’s coaching did that to the teams and players he led to consistent winning seasons and successive championships.
That’s what I like most about coaching, the effort and openness both parties bring into the relationship, to get to know each other well, and support each other.
Great coaches accept no less than excellence, and yet the coaching relationship allows the understanding, patience, and growth required to fuel the growth and consistency of excellent performance.
Coaching From The Neck, Up
Isiah Thomas shared that:
“The great coaches, teach from the neck, up. They’re more concerned abut teaching you the game of life, and applying the game of life to the basketball court. The bad coaches, they only teach you from the neck, down. They’re only concerned with your jump shot, with your inside pivot.”
Coaching is really all about the game of life, and how you’re playing it. Are you playing it the way you want to, or are you playing a different game altogether?
Great coaching is not only about the skills and what to do, it’s actually the mindset, beliefs, and how to think. There is an invitation to shift how you think, to allow excellent performance, and to get the results you want.
It’s about using whatever lessons you get, and applying that to your life. The role of coaching here is as a guide, mirror, and support.
Great Coaching Has Great Impact
A coach plays many different roles in the lives they touch, but they are working hard to improve and have a positive impact on the lives of the people they interact with, and have relationships with.
A coach provides the guidance, support, and sometimes, the push to go out and get what you want.
Have you ever thought about getting a coach? What’s stopping you? Please share in the comments below!
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