Most people don’t know that I am a championship ice skater.
At least I will be, if you agree to be my coach. As my coach, you have many responsibilities, this is the first.
Woody Allen says that half of making progress in life is just “showing up.” The first responsibility of any coach is to make sure team members show up. I cannot get better unless you show up for practice. So, if you are going to be my coach and turn me into a championship ice skater, your first responsibility is to make sure I show up for practice.
How is your team showing up for practice?
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I’m not sure that I agree with the assertion that the coach is responsible for getting the team to show up for practice. I was an NCAA athlete and it was my responsibility to get to practice while the coach provided the highest quality of instruction and mentorship he/she could once I was there.
In many ways, showing up was my first significant commitment to my own success. Furthermore, since responsibility and control generally must coincide in order to be effective, the athlete was charged to ensuring attendance since only he/she could fully understand and manage his/her work, home and school schedules. I have not noticed any of my past coaches making wake-up calls, sending email reminders or “herding cats” to gain attendance.
Outstanding performance is rarely achieved without personal motivation and discipline. How can someone expect to become a championship ice skater without shouldering the most basic and initial of requirements?
Allen attributes 80% of success to showing up. He is correct. At the start of last semester, I told my FIU class if that they did nothing else, they should live by Woody’s words. At the end of that semester, one student told me that he was passed the big exam for the course by coming to our early-morning class no matter how tired or distracted he felt. He said that by showing up, he learned the material needed to be successful.
Not just showing up but getting through the difficult period during which many people give up. Perseverence can pay dividends.
Kevin,
Thanks for posting your comment. This post is to begin to talk about some consistent steps to coaching. It is in no way to diminish the commitment required from the team member in making meaningful change.