The 49ers Way | Attention To Detail And Contingency Planning

In chapter 5 of his book Win Forever, Pete Carroll talks about the influence the coaching staff at San Francisco had on his coaching style and his philosophy.  He was just let out of his contract with the Jets and was free to find a new coaching staff to join.  

He was able to get on with the San Francisco 49'ers as their defensive coordinator. They were coming off a Super Bowl victory and were considered one of the premier organizations of the NFL.  He talked about his experience working for defensive minded coach George Seifert.

Being a defensive minded coach himself, he easily could have micromanaged me, but instead he allowed me to call the defense and have an ownership of our scheme.  Along with that, we would often discuss how he managed his team and his staff in more general ways, as I was constantly thinking about how I would lead a team when given the chance again.

Coach Carroll was also greatly influenced by former 49ers coach, Coach Walsh.  He wrote that he would go to his office and spend hours chatting and he would ask him a variety of questions about how he changed the culture of the 49ers.  Here is an excerpt about Coach Walsh's influence:

Coach Walsh and I also talked many times about eliminating doubt and how much easier it is to perform when you truly believe in your preparation.  That led us to a discussion about preparation and practice

Coach Walsh was a great believer in 'contingency planning.'  His approach was that preparation and practice sessions should be designed so that the performer is trained for all potential outcomes and events.  When you plan and train for all possible contingencies, you eliminate surprises and, in turn, eliminate a huge source of doubt that so often makes us tighten up.

Coach Walsh applied the concept of contingency planning not just to practice but to all aspects of his program, including personnel, scouting, coaching, training, travel, teaching, public relations, and nutrition.  In all areas, he wanted to have a plan for everything that could possibly happen.  The basis for the philosophy was simple but brilliant - have a plan for all eventual outcomes, and you'll be prepared.  To accomplish this, a coach must prepare a step-by-step approach that encompasses all possible results.

What I learned from Coach Walsh during my time with the 49ers was that this approach can apply to all facets of your personal life as well as your working life.  There is, however, another side to this for better or worse, once you start down this path of contingency planning, the quest to cover all bases never ends.  Once I accepted this line of thinking and incorporated it into my daily life, everything changed.

I had learned that they were winners not solely because of their win/loss records but also because of their strict attention to detail, confidence in themselves, and rock solid philosophies.