In the 1990s, I coached a football team. We were decent, not spectacular, but we had a good time and enjoyed our football. Like most teams, we could only sometimes put out our best 11. Injuries, work commitments, and travel put paid to that.
Tournament Time
In the run-up to a particular tournament, I decided to figure out our best team, hoping we could arrange for everybody to be available. We sat down in the changing room for a conversation. I asked the team who they thought were the best 11. We went through the various positions, from goalkeeper to defender to midfield and forwards. Thankfully, there was a lack of ego in the room, and the dynamic was healthy.
Off the List
Finally, we reached a consensus on our best player in every position. I read the names out. There was a strange silence. Then, one of our team said, “Malcolm, you’re not on the list.” I replied, “Of course not. I am not one of our best players.” And before you think this is false modesty, trust me: I was one of the least gifted of anyone in our entire squad, let alone the first 11.
Best/Influential
There was a murmur in the group, and one by one, they told me, “But you have to play.” I protested, “I’m not one of the best 11 players, and you all know it.” However, they would not let it go. Paraphrasing several comments, they said, “We all know you are not one of the best 11 players, but you are the most influentialplayer on our team.”
For the first time, I grasped the significance of real-time coaching.
Real-Time
One of the many forms of coaching is preparing people before they perform. However, there is another kind of coaching where your presence is vital. When in the team, you are able to give real-time input, feedback, and perspective. How do you feel about being in the thick of it as a coach? Some coaches feel more comfortable being behind the metaphorical one-way glass. Nothing is wrong with that, but I suggest you not limit yourself. Real-time coaching is vital when novel, unexpected things happen, and you cannot stop them. In such environments, coaches worth their salt earn their corn (if I may mix my metaphors).
Not an expert
Remember, the role of a coach is not to be an expert. You are not coaching because you are the best at anything except, possibly, coaching itself. What does this realisation do? It helps you as a coach to understand that you are immensely valuable and that you don’t need to measure up to everybody else’s achievements, gifts or talents to be helpful.
As you can imagine, I was immensely humbled by the attitude of my team. And, by the way, we won the tournament.
I’d love to help you through real-time coaching too!
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