Do you ever share your coaching expereinces?
Have you a coaching question you'd like help with?
Maybe you skills and experience to help others
A coach asked :
“How do you think coaches should go about learning from other coaches? “
Be open to exchanging ideas and viewpoints
It’s obvious but can be difficult to do
The search for information, answers or alternative viewpoints may test you. You don’t have to agree with someone’s viewpoint, but you do need to be aware of it.
Try not to assume that the information you currently believe will solve all the coaching and playing situations that face you. Being aware of other people’s ideas may give you the solution you need or prompt new ideas for you to consider.
Have an open mind, but also have a critical mind.
Being open-minded means that you must not just hear, but listen, then consider, and finally test.
Do your best to understand what others say, open your mind to their thoughts
However, this openness should not be confused with agreement or ‘blind acceptance’
Be inquisitive: ask great questions
Effective conversations are full of exchanges
I’ve been asked direct questions, short questions, complex questions and been given outright demands.
The coaches I work with, they ask the best questions. The ones that are open, honest and demanding.
They don’t mind showing that they want to know more. It’s these conversations that inspire me, and most often, finish with me having a better understanding.
My favourite conversations often include questions such as :
- “What would you do if …..” (state the specific situation)
- “Does that work in this situation …..” (describe the situation that you see in your mind)
- “But what happens when the player starts to do ..…” (try to remember the specific situation on the court in the game)
- “What would you do to encourage ……” (ask after offering your initial thoughts)
- “How else can I encourage or coach ……” (often said as a frustrated plea in search of help)
When was the last time you had a selfish moment & asked a question that
allowed you to improve your knowledge?
Can you share without expectation
This can be tough but it’s essential if you want to collaborate
If someone asks for your thoughts or advice, give it without conditions.
Don’t seek payment or state conditions. Think about the reply you give and ensure its as valuable as you can make it.
The more you become accustomed to giving freely without expectation the better you will feel. I promise you that in the long run you will feel great.
Use a Decision framework: critical assessment is vital
Test the information against these questions
- Is it effective, or just keeping players busy? (consider the difference)
- 3 Is it applicable to your player within the next 12 months? (decide when you can use it)
- Who else can I ask to confirm this? (always best to get another viewpoint)
- Do good players exhibit it? (if its works, does it show in others)
- Does it develop skill that can be used in competion (if not immedately, in the future)
- What results have others reorted when uisng it (or is it a recent fad)
Don’t blindly follow any advice, but experiment and then reflect if it was useful.
if not ask why, if yes, then also ask why
Test on the court and in a game: always!
I was challenged by my mentor: but does that work in a game?
Any advice or conversations you have must always be tested on the court. I was taught this by my Mentor.
He would often stop the conversation, walk onto the courts and say, “ok, now show me what you are talking about!”
He always wanted to see what the impact would be under gamelike conditions.
Great collaborations will involve both parties exploring what happens on the court in game-like scenarios that require game-like responses. Be prepared to have conversations not in the café, bar or online bar but on the court.
At the time, I felt very uncomfortable when I discovered that all thsi questions involved what happends in a game.
Does it lead to an improvement in a skill that ultimately would result
in an improvement in competition?
Be prepared for disagreement & challenges
Be respectful but still challenge
In any collaboration, there will be times when you disagree with someone, even someone you trust and respect. It’s a normal process and one that should be accepted.
If you disagree with someone, try to understand their position and their arguments.
Spend time thinking about the evidence you would need to accept their argument.
Unfortunately, in my early years, I couldn’t listen with an open mind
Change roles, be a Tutor or a Student
Look at the request/ information / conversation from both viewpoints
If you are asked a question, it’s because someone wants your opinion or advice.
You are placed in the role of the giver (the tutor). It’s because someone wants to hear your thoughts.
However, taking the role of a student can also develop a different viewpoint.
Work to understand what prompted the questions. To learn more about the background and motivation of the person who has asked.
You may feel that a good tutor would seek to understand before advising.
This point is a reminder that just because you are asked for help, you don’t have to immediately provide the person with your thoughts.
Seek to understand …
.. what prompted the question?
.. have you heard it before (why it keeps getting asked? )
.. does this person have a solution that is new to you?
.. what questions can you ask them to progress the conversation?
Make your collaboration a 2-way process: be both a Student and a Teacher
Be motivated to help and learn more about the background to the request
Networks are vital: create your Super Team
Do you have a group of 4 or 5 people who you can count on to give you an opinion?
Building a great supportive Badminton network is a sure way to improve.
It’s taken me many years to build mine.
It took me a few years to realise that learning alone just isn’t fast enough. You can attend all the Coach Education courses out there, and they still won’t beat having a great network.
The difference is that on Coach Education courses or workshops it’s tough to ask those open (potentially embarrassing) questions. Plus, you may be being assessed, and to question the Tutor could be dangerous.
I am very grateful to know the people in my collaboration network.
Some of them probably don’t know that I count them as part of it. Without these people, I could not enjoy this great sport or help others.
It’s the interactions from your Network that will give you increased pleasure. Learning new things is great but working with someone and sharing the learnings is much, much better.
Build your network by starting with a simple question:
“Please can you help me?”
Send me a question
I’m always grateful if you have read this far.
If there is anything that you have read that has helped or that you disagree with, then please send me an email.
I promise to read all your comments
It would be great to hear from you contact@badmintonandy.com
