Are You a Coercive or Credible Coach?

by Jeff Janssen, M.S.
Peak Performance Consultant
University of Arizona

Introduction

"My ideas about how to command respect have changed... I've learned that you can't demand it, or whack it out of people with a two-by-four. You have to cultivate it, in yourself and those around you."
Pat Summitt, University of Tennessee Women's Basketball

True success as a coach means that you not only win games and championships, but it also means that you win the respect of your athletes. In addition to helping you attain a meaningful and lasting sense of success and satisfaction, winning your players' respect is also the best way to help them reach their full potential.

Coercive Coaches Attempt to Force Respect

How do you earn your players' respect? Not too long ago, most coaches believed that the best way to gain respect was to be a stern, unemotional, and unrelenting disciplinarian who ordered people around like a traditional military drill sergeant. These coaches believed that respect must be demanded from their athletes. So they told people what to do and used threats and intimidation to get them to do it. They believed that the tougher they were on their athletes, the more they would respect them. This "command and control" style of leadership we have come to call coercive coaching. We use the term "coercive" mainly because athletes follow these coaches not because they want to, but more because they have to so that they can avoid being physically or mentally tortured.

The problem with the coercive approach is that true respect must be earned from people, not imposed on them. Coercive coaches force people to follow them out of fear. They make athletes fear them by punishing, embarrassing, and yelling at them when they make mistakes or break rules. While their athletes do often comply with their commands, coercive coaches are not legitimate leaders. They function more like dictators, intimidators, and masters of manipulation who might be obeyed, but are not respected. This overbearing and negative approach may work in the short term, but over the long run it leads to people who feel discouraged, persecuted, humiliated, and incompetent. It is not surprising that athletes soon come to resist and resent coercive coaches.

"I didn't want to be a dictator to my players or assistant coaches or managers. For me, concern, compassion, and consideration were always priorities of the highest order."
John Wooden, Former UCLA Men's Basketball Coach

"Appreciate the fact that you cannot lead without eager followers."
Pat Summitt, University of Tennessee Women's Basketball

To get a better picture of the coercive approach, imagine the following scenario: After a tough, close loss to your rival team, your athletic director strangely appears in your locker room with a crazed look in his eyes. In front of your entire team he begins screaming at you at the top of his lungs, "You are such a terrible coach! I can't believe some of the stupid decisions you made down the stretch. You lost the game for us. If you don't win next week, I'll fire you and we'll get someone in here who can actually coach!" He then storms out leaving both you and your athletes stunned. How would you feel and respond after such a tirade?

Fortunately, extremely few athletic directors would be unprofessional enough to do such a thing. The hypothetical scenario is totally inappropriate and would likely have a disastrous affect on all involved. If this coercive approach is so appalling for an athletic director to use with a coach, why then do so many coaches still use the coercive approach with their athletes?
Perhaps because the coercive coaching style was somewhat effective years ago primarily because athletes automatically respected their coach's authority. If a coach said "Jump," the athletes jumped, no questions asked. Some coaches thrived in this era because of their tough, domineering, hard-nosed approach.
 
However, just as society continually evolves and changes, so too has the kind of coaching to which athletes respond best. The coercive coaching style, which once seemed to work, has given way to a more effective style. This approach, which we call credible coaching, has evolved because people no longer respect leaders just because of their position or title, but now believe that leaders must earn their respect.

"The most essential thing for a leader to have is the respect of those under his or her supervision. It starts with giving them respect."
John Wooden, Former UCLA Basketball Coach

Credible Coaches Earn Respect

Credible coaches earn their athletes' respect by the way they coach and develop them. First and foremost, they treat their athletes with dignity and respect and basically abide by the Golden Rule - they treat people the way they would like to be treated. Credible coaches are honest and trustworthy in their dealings with their athletes. They are not afraid to show their athletes how much they care about them - both as athletes and people. Because credible coaches are so genuine and inspiring in their approach, they create an environment where athletes feel valued, appreciated, challenged, and competent. In doing so they build their athletes' confidence and guide them to their goals. In general, credible coaches build solid relationships with their athletes based on integrity, compassion, and trust.

Our interviews with Mike Krzyzewski, Pat Summitt, Roy Williams, and Gail Goestenkors for the book "The Seven Secrets of Successful Coaches" confirm that credible coaching is the best way to help your athletes develop to their full potential. If you want your athletes to give you their absolute best, they need to respect you. Athletes consciously or subconsciously ask themselves "Can I trust you? Do you know what you are talking about? Are you committed to excellence? Do you care about me?" Only when your athletes believe you are a credible coach, will they wholeheartedly follow you. They will give you the most important ingredient you need to be truly successful - your followers' hearts. Credible coaches know that people will give them their best if they treat them well and create an environment that is conducive to high performance. And in turn, their athletes respect them.

"I think it is extremely important to have the respect of the players."
Dean Smith, Former University of North Carolina Men's Basketball Coach

This excerpt comes from Jeff Janssen's new book, "Seven Secrets of Successful Coaches." Visit www.jeffjanssen.com or call 1-888-721-TEAM to order.  Seven Secrets of Successful Coaches is also available in the Basketball Highway Hoopstore (item #1625).

Jeff Janssen, M.S.
Peak Performance Coach

phone:  1-888-721-TEAM
fax:  (520) 886-4983
web:  http://www.jeffjanssen.com