Leadership in Coaching
Leadership is “one of the most
observed and least understood
phenomena on earth.”
James MacGregor Burns
Red Gendron
Assistant Coach
The Coach
• Technician:
• Teacher:
• Leader:
Your Attitude as the Leader
Leadership Theories
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Great Man Theory･
Trait Theory･
Behavioral Theories･
Role Theory･
The Managerial Grid･
Participative Leadership･Lewin's leadership styles･
Likert's leadership styles･
Situational Leadership･
Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership･
Vroom and Yetton's Normative Model･
House's Path-Goal Theory of Leadership･
Contingency Theories･
Fiedler's Least Preferred Co-worker (LPC) Theory･
Cognitive Resource Theory･
Strategic Contingencies Theory･
Transactional Leadership･
Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory･
Transformational Leadership･
Bass' Transformational Leadership Theory･
Burns' Transformational Leadership Theory･
Kouzes and Posner's Leadership Participation Inventory
• http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/theor
ies/leadership_theories.htm
Thoughts on Theories
• Reading the descriptions of leadership styles and
theories of the preceding page is a brief yet great
introduction to the study of leadership and more
importantly will help you to analyze your own leadership
behaviors in a theoretical context; it may also provide you
with ideas to transform yourself as a leader; “no one ever
stays the same, you either get better or you get worse.”
Lou Holtz
• These are theories because they are not laws, meaning it
is all disputable. Social Science, which leadership study
is one of, by definition means that one is dealing with
human behavior and thus not perfectly predictable.
• Individual leaders can seldom, if ever, fit into an exact
leadership style or theory; they usually exhibit behaviors
that cross over the boundaries of various theories.
Leadership Defined
• The leader assumes ultimate responsibility for
the total well-being of each individual on the
team (including assistant coaches, trainers,
managers, etc.) and assumes the ultimate
responsibility for the group identifying or
helping to identify and reach its goals.
• Leadership transcends coaching (skill &
tactical development; X’s & O’s). The vehicle
used to practice effective leadership is
communication both verbal and non-verbal
and it’s foundation is a clear set of
philosophical principles and keen
understanding of simple principles of
psychology.
List your Philosophical Principles & elements
that you feel define Total Well-Being for an
athlete
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Know Your Players
• It’s not just knowing what they can and can’t do on
the ice that’s important.
• How do they see themselves as a player? What NHL
or college player would they say they are like?
• Why is he/she there? Because they love it?
Because Daddy/Mommy want them to play?
Because of a Scholarship Opportunity? For
Exercise/Recreation? For Camaraderie or
Socialization?
• What do they like to do when not playing hockey?
What do they like to eat? What’s their favorite school
subject? Are they religious?
Players
Names
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What I know about them
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Position Power vs. Personal
Power
• Position power is that
which you have just
because you are the
coach. Be careful about
how you use your position
power. Perhaps it is better
to say that you should avoid
abusing your position power.
Position power can be
intimidating and worse,
energy-draining to your
team.
• Personal Power is that which
you earn with your team by
performing your leadership
role in a caring and
professional manner. It is
showing your charges that you
are truly into it, that you care
more about the team and the
individuals on the team than
you care about yourself and
your personal needs or wants.
Personal power can be
inspiring to your team.
Selections of my personal leadership
philosophy & total well-being trio
• Attitude is everything! Be
enthusiastic in everything that
I do when coaching (Do you
sing?) (got to be into it!).
• Talk to as many players as
possible every day. Ask
them questions about how
they are doing related to or
unrelated to hockey. It is
about building relationships!
• Spend time every day
thinking about and planning
ways to help individuals and
the team improve
performance. Always be
prepared!
• Work so as to become
unnecessary.
• Person: What can I do
or say to help the
individual improve
himself as a human
being.
• Student: What can I do
or say to help the
individual improve
himself as a student.
• Player: What can I do
or say to help the
individual improve
himself as a player.
Philosophy of Growth
The Team
• The most important thing is always the team
above individuals but the great leader/coach
finds ways to include and celebrate each
individual’s contributions to the common
cause. It is all about helping individuals to feel
that they are valued. You’ve no doubt heard
the expression that “a chain is only as strong
as it’s weakest link.”
• No player is above the team and all must be
held accountable to the standards set for the
group. However, each player may have to be
coached (communicated with) differently to
help them perform optimally and thus achieve.
Building / Bonding / The Team
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Synergy: The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. But, the parts
have great value and can only add to the synergy if they are valued. It is
more about what each player can bring to the table than what he/she
cannot.
Celebrate what each individual does well. Most importantly, reward the
less than obvious excellent behaviors with genuine praise. Examples:
Blocked shot, won battle, won draw, great backcheck, 2nd effort, etc.
There are lots of activities that can be done as a team that aren’t directly
related to hockey that can improve team chemistry/bonding and possibly
enhance the overall experience. Examples: Team Trips to College or NHL
games, Trips to Museums or Historical sights, Team Pool Parties, Pizza
parties, Outdoor non hockey activities (fishing trip, hiking trip, rock
climbing), Organize a talk given by a college or pro player for your team,
etc.
Be the usher not the show! Seek to give the team to the players, become
unnecessary! (ownership) How you achieve player ownership with
mites/squirts will vary with how you do it with older players.
The Parents play a vital role in how your team comes together. Figure out
how you have to deal with them so they don’t work at cross purposes with
you. Modern American Society and the normative values of today suggest
that they can and will be a powerful factor. To ignore this possibility is not
advisable.
Inspire
• What can you do to inspire? A youth hockey coach from Newburg,
NY told me this Summer that his Squirt team last year was
complaining that they didn’t think they had much speed. Of course,
he worked to develop their technique and instituted up tempo and
competitive practices. However, he also found a quote that he
presented to his boys: “It doesn’t matter if you’re the fastest player,
only that you are the first to the puck.” Sidney Crosby
• This quote became the team mantra and was posted in the locker
room for the remainder of the season. And, he always encouraged
the players to focus on being first to the puck (repetition)!
• Tell stories, copy articles or quotes that are inspirational.
• Video: We live in the information age and video information is
extremely powerful. Use video to teach and inspire. Catch your
players doing great things! Show them inspirational clips from
movies, competitions, or human interest.
Encourage / Find Positives
• The Leader/Coach finds and communicates “positives” to both the
team and individuals constantly. He also points out the
weaknesses in the team’s collective play or the play of individuals.
When pointing out the negative elements, be sure to include
reasons why the play is ineffective and a plan for improvement.
Whenever possible, deal with individuals one on one if you have
to communicate strong messages.
• There are times when it is prudent to call out players in front of the
whole team. (Discussion)
• When correcting individuals, provide information and avoid
excessive emotion or rage. Never comment on the person, only
the behavior. Example: “You’re stupid, what were you thinking.”
Instead, “That was not a smart play. What do you think you could
have done differently?” The same is true with comments made to
the entire team.
Building Personal Power
• Bring a “perfect attitude” everyday.
• Do everything with enthusiasm.
• Do the right thing! “The right thing is easy to do when it is easy to
do the right thing.” One true test of a great leader occurs when
he does the right thing when the right thing is difficult.
• Be prepared for every practice, every game, every meeting.
• Talk to the players, to the assistant coaches, to the parents; be
accessible
• Is ice time a problem, parents, player attitude? Work the
problem! Avoid saying it’s not my fault, there’s nothing I can do
because of these or other challenges. (DWI) & (FIO)
• Hold everyone accountable to the same standards but treat each
individual the way that they need to be treated.
• Never behave selfishly, put the players and the team first. Your
ego must be fueled by helping the players and the team grow on
many levels. That’s what is in it for you! If that’s not enough, you
probably shouldn’t be coaching youth hockey.
When the Season is Over
• What will the collective opinion of the team be
regarding the overall experience?
• What will each individual think about his/her
experience on your team?
• What will your opponents say about the team
after having played your team in the final
month?
• What will you honestly say about the job you
did with this group, with these individuals?
Best Coach - Worst Coach
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A Thought for You and for
Your Players
• “What we hear we forget, what we see
we remember, what we do we know!”
• You’ve listened to me, you’ve seen what
I’ve done here, what will you do about
it?
Reading List
“A leader is a reader, a reader is a scholar, a scholar is communicator.”
Brigadier General John R. Allen, USMC
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Coaching the Mental Game, Harvey Dorfman
This is by far the simplest and finest book I’ve ever read on Sports Psychology. It is a must read for
all coaches
They Call me Coach, John Wooden
In my opinion, the best coaching book ever written. It is a must read for every coach.
A Season of Life, Jeffrey Marx
This volume is a recent best seller and offers a very unique approach to coaching young men. It’s
a one day read and like Wooden and Dorfman, a must read for coaches.
Endurance, F.A. Worsley
This is one of the most inspiring stories of attitude, leadership, courage, and perseverance ever
told.
Benedict Arnold Patriot and Traitor, Willard Sterne Randall
This is the full story of the most infamous of all American historical figures. In the end it is about
ambition versus honor. It is about what can happen if you live life without a code. It is about what
can happen when you choose not do the right thing when the right thing is hard to do.
Theodore Roosevelt A Strenuous Life, Kathleen Dalton
A biography of one of America’s greatest Presidents, finest leaders, and genuine scholars.
Good to Great, Jim Collins
A national best seller about corporations that transform themselves from good to great in their
individual markets. There are many applicable parallels for coaches and their teams
Patton A Genius for War, Carlo D’Este
A biography of one of the greatest American Generals of all time. In my opinion, it offers compelling
evidence supporting the notion that leaders transform themselves and are not entirely born with the
ability.