Leadership Resource 3
COACH-LEADERSHIP
STYLES
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What is Coaching?
“Unlocking a person’s potential to
maximize his or her own
performance. It is helping them
to learn rather than teaching
them.
Center for Creative Leadership.
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What is a Coach?
A coach transports a valued
person from where they are to
where they want to be.
old Webster
(slide courtesy of Lyn Johnston)
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C
O
A
C
H
onviction Driven: Never compromise beliefs
verlearning: Ongoing learning
udible – Ready: Know when to change
onsistency: Respond predictably to performance
onesty-Based: Walk your talk.
(Blanchard & Shula, 2001)
www.sportwellington.org.nz
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The Realities of Coaching
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Coaches can’t
assume that:
All athletes will be
skilled
All athletes will be
of good character
with no behavioural
problems
All athletes will be
good athletes
There are 2 sides to
coaching:
 A coaching side to improve
performance
 A leadership side to build character
and prepare
athletes to compete
(Hinkson, 2001)
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What is Coaching?
An ongoing relationship which focuses on the
player/athlete taking action toward the
realization of their vision, goals, or desires.
Coaching uses a process of inquiry and
personal discovery to build the
player/athlete’s level of awareness and
responsibility and provides the player/athlete
with structure, support, and feedback..
Professional and Personal Coaches Association
(slide courtesy of Lyn Johnston)
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Types of Coach-Leadership
There are different types of coachleaders. Most of us develop one
style that’s our favourite.
It is good to borrow from other
coaching styles when the situation
calls.
(Hinkson, 2001)
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Task Oriented Coaching
Similar to but not the extreme of the
traditional autocratic or
authoritarian leader.
Focuses on the performance and the
results.
(Hinkson, 2001)
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Athlete Oriented Coaching
The modern coach uses a democratic,
athlete oriented style.
Coaches are there for the athletes,
enable athletes’ motivation and
focus is on the athletes.
It depends is the situational response to the
needs of the athletes.
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Coach Leadership Styles
Command Style Characteristics
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Decisions are made by the coach
Athlete's role is to listen, absorb
information and obey
Athletes are motivated extrinsically
Athletes are treated as robots or
slaves, not like thinking human beings
Athletes participate for the praise of
the coach or to avoid their wrath
(Martens, 1998)
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Coach Leadership Styles
Command Style Characteristics
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Command style is historically prevalent
Many novices or inexperienced coaches
adopt the command style
Many coaches adopt command style
because it conceals any doubts they
may have
Command style appears effective –
good athletic teams need organisation
Can be effective if the coach’s primary
objective is winning and if their
authoritarian nature does not stifle
athlete’s motivation
(Martens, 1998)
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Coach Leadership Styles
Command Style Characteristics
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Athletes tend to be extrinsically
motivated under a command style
coach
The command style can alienate all but
the highly gifted athletes
If your objective is to help athletes
grow physically, cognitively,
emotionally and socially through sport,
and to help athletes learn and make
decisions, and help people become
independent, then the command style
is not for you.
(Martens, 1998)
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Coach Leadership Styles
Co-operative Style Characteristics
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Athletes know what is expected of
them and have a say in those
expectations
Mutual goals are clear and firmly set
Coach is receptive to new ideas and
requests
Athletes are given immediate feedback
on results
Athletes are involved in decisionmaking and goal-setting
(Martens, 1998)
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Coach Leadership Styles
Co-operative Style Characteristics
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Athletes enjoy their sport and show
enthusiasm
Athletes are innovative and resourceful
Athletes are more coachable because
they have freedom and choice
Athletes are highly committed to
achieving levels of excellence
Coach answers questions, encourages
players to ask questions and seek
knowledge
(see Philosophy resource in Coaching Effectiveness
Module for more characteristics)
(Kidman and Davis, 2007)
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Coach Leadership Styles
Submissive Style Characteristics
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Coach’s input into the team is minimal
Little formal instruction is given
Activities and trainings are seldom
organised
Team motivation and discipline are
lacking
Coach resolves discipline problems
only when necessary
(Martens, 1998)
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Coaching is about…
Coaching is about building
relationships….
Coaches must earn trust….
Successful coaches motivate
by building the coachathlete relationship before
anything else.
www.ausport.gov.au
(Hinkson, 2001)
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Coaching is about…
“Coaching to me has never been
about the coach
– it is about the athletes and
the value the coach can add.”
(Don Tricker, Coach NZ Black Sox)
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Athlete-Centred
Both empowering and athlete-centred
styles may be described as ‘a
process by which people gain
control over the decisions affecting
their lives’.
(Kidman, 2005)
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Coach-Centred Coach
This style of leadership describes
‘a person who coaches for
himself or herself, uses power to
dominate and considers athletes
as only a means to an end’.
(Kidman, 2005)
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Athlete-Centred Coach
When a coach considers the athletes
first and thus gives them choice and
control, the athletes are empowered.
(Kidman, 2005)
Question Question Question
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References
Hinkson, J. (2001). The art of team coaching. Canada:
Warwick.
Kidman, L. (2005). Athlete-centred coaching:
Developing inspired and inspiring people.
Christchurch: Innovative Print Communications.
Kidman, L. and Davis, W. (2006), Empowerment in
Coaching, In J. Broadhead and W. Davis (Eds) ,
Ecological Task Analysis Perspectives on Movement,
Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Martens, R. (1998). Successful coaching. Champaign,
IL: Human Kinetics.
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