When successful sports coaches around the world are asked, one of the key points of disagreement is whether harsh truths should be directly told to athletes. (HBR: How to Coach, According to 5 Great Sports Coaches) These sports coaches have logical explanations and track records supporting their tactics and choices. So, which approach is correct?
My argument is that this question is flawed. While these sports coaches attribute the improvement/change results they achieve to their own approach, the correlation between feedback’s impact on change (let’s call it success) and how it’s perceived by the recipient isn’t the way it’s delivered. Whether it’s harsh truths or less harsh ones, what’s needed for change is for the player to understand, grasp, and internalize that this change is for their own good. Supporting this theory is the fact that these same coaches agree that less of their energy goes to superstars. While a superstar with a massive ego and a constant desire to achieve better will eagerly embrace every opportunity to improve, some other players may fail to see the benefits they will receive (or not value such benefits enough to justify the work and sacrifice required) and may not develop such a desire. Conversely, a player who believes that any feedback or request, whether gentle or harsh, bitter or sweet, is in their best interest will respond positively to that feedback and improve as much as their capacity allows.
Generally, we see this same situation manifesting itself within managers’ teams in the workplace. This is just one of the many similarities between sports coaching and team management, but it’s perhaps one of the most important. It’s unrealistic to expect employees to implement successful change simply because their bosses demand it, without understanding the benefits they will experience. Managers’ ability to convey this message of benefit to their teams will be a prerequisite for developing their teams and the most crucial factor in determining the effectiveness of their management. It’s also the most important tool for becoming a “superboss,” as I mentioned in a previous article.
Nil Kalagoglu, August 31, 2016
Exintus™ Coaching 