Coaching: "Life-Changing Advice"

Find core concepts and values: 

• "Think for yourself." 
• "Share something great." 
• "Be specific." 

We are wired to believe what we hear. That helped when ancestors heard a noise in the brush (? predator). Ask whether that makes sense or not. President Reagan famously said, "Trust but verify." 

1. Become more efficient. Plan. Practice at a higher tempo. "Kill your darlings" (drills/plays that don't help). Brad Stevens said of New England Patriots' practice, "The tempo with which they operated, how much they got done, how little time they had to do it? just impressive.”

2. Build great habits. Make positive habits easier. Make negative ones harder. Track them. "Winners are trackers" says Darren Hardy, author of The Compound Effect. 

3. Be curious and open to new ideas. Read every day. Study other disciplines. Charlie Munger, Buffett's partner asks, "Is there anything I can do to make my whole life and my whole mental process work better?" Add essentials and subtract fluff. 

For example:

Communications: Data doesn't inform how to best engage your customers. Our knowledge or system doesn't magically spread. What teaching helps our players learn? Can we simplify? Give and get feedback. 

4. Advance our story. If our problems are A, B, and C (e.g. defensive transition, free throw shooting, excessive fouling) what specific changes address those issues? For example do our players know who gets back first, beat transition by forcing extra passes, become more aware (conversion), or need better effort or conditioning? 

5. Get more eyes. "Mentoring is the only shortcut to excellence." Everyone experiences the same problems. Communicate better, teach better, change behavior? Rick Pitino has his Personal Board of Directors. Find tips from The Coach's Guide to Teaching. Doug Lemov writes that something as simple as varying where we stand at practice engages more players.  

6. Give and take. We get a lot from coaching. Be positive and give authentic praise. Nothing is more powerful then telling a player, "I believe in you." And rarely, players and teams need Del Harris's level 5 communication, "Go nuts." 

Lagniappe. Advice for life. 

• Delay gratification.
• Change our perception. Robin Roberts says, "we have to change how we think to change how we feel." 
• Have the courage to let go. 
• Link competence to confidence.
  
• Be authentic.