5 Ideas for Coaches to Explore
Leveraging these 5 points will set apart both coaches and their culture in a post-pandemic performance landscape.
#1: Work-Life Balance is Here to Stay
Coaches and leaders who persist with the "more is better" mentality are likely to be left behind.
The workforce transition to a greater focus on lifestyle benefits and work as a means to live rather than a source of life is challenging the status quo. Coaches that fail to appreciate the benefits of a harmonious lifestyle for themselves and their staff are likely to find themselves frustrated with turnover.
The days of guarding your desk should come to an end. Invest in your life outside of the office so you can be your best when you step in.
#2: Coaches Need Range
The X's and O's aren't enough.
Modern coaches need a range of skills to be able to meet the varied challenges their athletes and organizations present.
Being able to go from film study, to practice, to a meeting, to an event, and back to the office for a staff meeting requires a diverse skill set. These demands aren't going away - developing these skills, instead of resisting them, is a competitive advantage.
#3: Mental Health for Coaches is Real
You can't perform if you're not well.
The best coaches are those taking care of their holistic health. The stress of the profession isn't going away, but the resources available to manage the stress are greater than they've ever been. The best coaches will lean in and use the support to help themselves fulfill their potential.
Under-recovered, malnourished, and sleep-deprived as the lifestyle to strive for needs to go.
#4: Working with Gen-Z Athletes will Change the Game
Gen-Z athletes have different priorities than those who came before them. They want the freedom to paint outside the lines as long as they stay on the canvas. They're connected to social causes. They want to achieve.
The generational intelligence to manage this gap will separate the best from the rest.
#5: Flexible with Personalities, Firm with Intelligence
All high performers have idiosyncrasies.
The reality is that most athletes - and most people - can be worked with. It's important to understand who athletes are, and even more important to understand how they do what they do.
Exploring these 5 factors will give you an edge moving forward.
There are plenty of resources available to help coaches make these changes. These 5 factors are here to stay.