Be Consistent, Be Firm, Be Fair, but Most Importantly – Be Clear!

Geno Auriemma was asked why players don't do what coaches ask.  Here was his response:

I had a conversation with the parent of an incoming 9^th grade student last week, and it was centered around him coming to meet his new teachers and his lack of wanting to speak with them.  He is a shy and quiet kid who just does not like casual conversation.  I told him that communication is an important skill to grow and learn for so many ways.

Communication is the key to everything as a coach and a leader.  Nobody knows what is going on in your head – you have to communicate in a way that they understand fully what you expect and in a way that they can do fully what you expect.  A lack of clear communication of expectations is one of the quickest and biggest ways to create a disconnect between player and coach. 

I heard Geno Auriemma once say that a kid either can’t do what you want her to do or just won’t do what you want her to do.  I think that is very true, but it is also important to make sure that you are communicating clearly what exactly what you want them to do to give them the best chance to have success.

Know what your expectations are and communicate them.  Know what your vision is and then communicate it.  Know what your plan is and then communicate it.  Communicate what you need your athletes to do, how to do it, and when to do it.  There should be no secrets and no surprises to anyone.  They should know what to expect from you, what you expect from them, the rewards of a job well done, and the consequences for not doing what they were expected to do.

From there, we have to measure and observe if what you have communicated is getting done to the level that you have communicated.  Not to the level that you want and expected, but to the level that you communicate.  If it is not getting done to the level at which you would like or expect, self-assess whether or not you have clearly communicated and modeled your expectations, whether your kids have the skill level to complete what you have asked them to do, or whether they are just not doing it.  Again, they should know the rewards of a job well-done and the consequences of not doing their part. 

Be consistent, be firm, be fair, but most importantly – be clear!