Focus on truths. Director Ken Burns says one of his strength's is watching a clip and being totally objective about its strengths and weaknesses. Fellow director Ron Howard adds, "the movie is made in the editing room."
Objective feedback helps us to edit our process. If making floaters is a weakness, then either work on it or cut it. If we're overweight decide to change our lifestyle or remain overweight.
Effective coaching (Thomas Crane, The Heart of Coaching) is "performance-focused, feedback-rich to provide sustainable competitive advantage."
"See with our eyes not with our heart." A coach I respect told me, "you will win more, if you play your best players more." I couldn't agree more, but in a developmental program, I have a responsibility to all the players. A few more wins in middle school don't mean much in the big picture. But we own helping the exceptional player grow, too.
Use checklists.
Acknowledge cognitive bias.
"They behaved badly because they're bad." I behaved badly because I had to...I was in a rush, I was late, I had to get this done.
How can we be more objective?
- Use the stats. "If he's such a good hitter, why doesn't he hit better?" - Billy Beane in Moneyball. Chart shots, hustle plays, and turnovers grouped by failed decision or execution.
- Measure. In The Politics of Coaching, Carl Pierson measured speed, strength, and jumping ability at tryouts. If a parent asked why their child didn't make the team, he could say, she was in the bottom five percent of all athletes tested. Few impact players lack athletic explosion.
- Use the Stoic principle of the "indifferent spectator." What would she say?
- Watch the film...the Truth Machine.
- "Invert." What if we did the opposite?
- Verify the facts. "I heard" is not "I did the research." One study of patients in alcohol rehab showed that when staff was 100% confident patients were not using, half tested positive. "Trust but verify."
- Get more eyes. Trusted observers help.
- Consider a range of possibilities, probability and outcomes. Think in bets.
- Choose the red pill (reality).
Lagniappe (something extra). Clear-eyed.
