I’m no fan of rah rah cheer leading. That’s both on sports sidelines and at work, but there is also no need for unnecessary criticism and negativity.

My eldest daughter has recently joined the high school volleyball team and it has been fascinating watching the coaches of different teams and how their coaching style varies. Now I know living in LA for nine years I should be used to extravagant actors around me, but some of the scenes from the volleyball court in the last few weeks could have come from a comedy TV show! From screaming at the referee, complaining about missed points, to making kids actually cry, some of the school coaches have been quite cringeworthy to watch! One recent match, the loosing team coach screamed at the players whenever they were loosing, each time they missed a point the team immediately looked at their coach in anticipation of the reaction he would have and lost concentration of the actual game.

Another coach, in contrast, whether the team was winning or loosing, kept his volume, tone and temperament the same. During the timeouts, players huddled close to hear his advice, and listened intently whether he was praising them, correcting them, or encouraging them. His temperament was contagious. The team paid attention to the plays drawn out on his whiteboard and encouraged each other when missing a serve or winning a point.

I see similar contrasts with leaders as they coach their teams, it’s valuable to observe. It’s not enough to just remain calm or cheer when your team achieves success. Instead, consistency is needed where you remain constant with your advice when the emotional rollercoaster takes over during both wins and losses. Unlike on the volleyball court, coaching inside companies isn’t always so visible, which is why you need to explore how well your teams are being coached.

It’s why just like school teams benefit from a coach who is an expert in the chosen sport, companies too benefit from hiring coaches with specific expertise.

How can you understand how well your managers are coaching their teams?

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

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