Leadership Lessons for the Winning Coach

by: Henry C. “Hank” Schrader, Jr.
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I have spent most of my adult life learning and practicing the art of leadership. I feel lucky to have attended the most famous leadership school in the world—West Point. This base coupled with a 20-year career as a military officer and coaching high school sports in Wisconsin, Washington and Texas has allowed me to develop some leadership principles that helped me achieve winning a state championship in football. I hope by sharing some ideas with you, it may help you achieve your goals.

11 Concepts to Make You a Better Leader

Concept # 1. Great leaders make a difference. Leadership really does make a difference, especially in coaching a winning team. The primary responsibility of a head coach is to motivate all the members of the team to achieve the goals of the team. A great leader uses every opportunity to reinforce the team’s identity, purpose and mission. They paint the picture and set the environment for success. They are relentless pursuing the team’s goals. They also create a winning atmosphere of enthusiasm, positive attitude, desire, love and a bit of healthy fear. Great leaders set the standards and then demand compliance to them. As they set the standards, they pick standards they are willing and able to enforce. Throughout history, great leaders have made a difference. Why do some teams win, while others lose? Often, it is the leaders who make the difference!

Concept #2. Great leaders are not lucky. Successful coaches are not “lucky”, they are prepared. It is not the right schedule, the great players, the right atmosphere—it is preparation. Here are six ideas to improve your luck. 1. Luck comes to the prepared mind. 2. Luck comes to hard-working people. 3. Luck comes to those who have alternatives ready. 4. Luck comes to those who can clearly state what they are pursuing. 5. Luck comes to the person who goes after a dream. 6. Luck comes to the person who treats others with grace, dignity, courtesy and kindness. Want to be a better coach? I suggest you work on your luck skills.

Concept #3. Great leaders care. If you do not say to yourself every day “How can I do this better”, your program will not be as good as it can be. You care if you develop everyone to their fullest potential, not just the best players or assistant coaches who you like. You can still care yet be demanding. There is a fine line between firmness and harshness, between firm leadership and bullying, and between discipline and pettiness—great coaches know the difference and practice it every day.

Concept #4. Great leaders have developed superb leader-subordinate relationships. Want to have a great team? Then I suggest you use these tips.

1. Establish clear expectations with demanding but achievable standards. To accomplish this, teach your players how to meet those expectations, provide feedback on the performance and hold them responsible to perform without compromise.

Let me give you two examples.

1. During one of the playoff games of my state championship year, a team was chewing us up in the air. We were losing at halftime for the first time of the season. I told my players at halftime we would win because one of the players will make a big play for a turnover. All will perform as you had been taught. Then I told them if you do not, we will lose. They had to perform—no compromise. In the third quarter, we forced an interception when the opposing QB threw into a disguised double coverage. The final score was 42-24. They performed without compromise.

2. Demand mutual respect. All must trust each person on the team. At a clinic I attended I heard a Division I coach express this as the 90-10 formula. Great teams spend 90% of their time chasing their goals and 10% on internal issues. Average teams split at 50-50. Poor teams spend 90% on internal issues and only 10% chasing their goals. Great coaches must take players where they can not take themselves.

Concept #5. Great leaders are great teachers. Great coaches teach their players: 1. To accept responsibility. 2. To prepare physically and mentally for the game. 3. To gain and maintain proficiency for their position in the ultimate team sport. 4. To inspire confidence and eagerness to be part of the team. Great coaches know that it is not what they know about the game of football but what their players know and can execute on the field. Want to be a great coach? Then I suggest you need three items for success. First, establish a system you believe in without hesitation. Second, ensure that you can teach your system so that players can execute every facet without any confusion. Third, you must sell your system to your players so that they believe just as you believe.

Concept #6. Great leaders set clear expectations. All coaches and players must have a clear role of their job. This requires that every player and coach knows exactly what is expected of him and that his role is vital to the team’s success. Each player has to be prepared both physically and mentally. A great coach creates an organization that all understand their role and are committed to accomplishing their specific job but are able to do so in an environment where creativity and the ability to adapt are not stifled. It is a tough balancing act but great coaches make it happen.

Concept #7. Great leaders have the vision to see, the ability to analyze, the integrity to chose and the courage to execute. They are resolute in where they are heading and how they plan to get there. They do not panic when the going gets tough. Many coaches fail in the way they react to pressure. Many coaches lose their nerve late in the game. Great coaches must act effectively and decisively in the most stressful situations.

Concept #8. Great leaders inspire others to achieve more than they thought possible. This requires superb people skills. Coaches deal with four types of players. They are: 1) Unwilling and Unable, 2) Willing but Unable, 3) Unwilling but Able and 4) Willing and Able. You need to get rid of players who are unwilling and unable. Despite a leaders best efforts this player will never be effective. Willing and able players just need reps and the opportunity to succeed—they are your team leaders. Willing but unable players need training so they can develop. Unwilling but able players need an attitude adjustment to succeed. They also may have to go if they will not change their ways. Great coaches and leaders change the one negative aspect into a positive aspect to get more out of their players. By concentrating on these players, you will have success. The more players a leader can transform, the greater success the team will have.

Concept #9. Great leaders have many similar traits. All have commitment to doing what ought to be done. All have a presence—they are extremely effective at influencing others to accomplish tasks. All emphasize teamwork. All are decisive. Almost all are great planners or organizers or surround themselves with key subordinates who can accomplish these tasks. Most great leaders are good delegators—they fully use the talents of all members of their organization. All great coaches are great leaders.

Concept #10. Great leaders instill values and traits into their subordinates to make them successful. Here are 11 characteristics of a good athlete that you might want to instill in your athletes. They are: 1. Coachability—a willingness to accept teaching. 2. Responsibility—assume your share when things go wrong. 3. Leadership—stand your ground, don’t be intimated. 4. Drive—setting goals and liking competition. 5. Determination—hard work. 6. Self-confidence—belief in your talents and ability. 7. Mental toughness—being able to bounce back from defeat. 8. Emotional control—turning your emotions into productive play. 9. Assertiveness—make things happen; don’t let it happen to you. 10. Conscientiousness—self discipline for the playing season and dealing with the off-season. 11. Trust—faith in your coaches and teammates.

A good example of how leaders can instill values in their players is the story of the Bellevue HS 2001 team goals. The players met before the start of the season and developed goals—without coach input during the meeting. They were told to build their season goals based on what they had been taught by the coaches. Here is what the team came up with

BHS Team Goals (2001)

WIN STATE

Win Kingco (district) 13-0

Discipline
Respect
Composure
Team Unity
Pride
Off field
Team
Coaches Huddle
Field Team
First 63 (Tribute to fallen coach)

MOTTO
FTP (FOLLOW THE PYRIMAID)

The players only used the initials all year—FTP—they were not supposed to tell anyone outside the team until the end of the season. The lesson was simple—without the base they couldn’t get to the top. Great stuff for young men--they achieved all of their goals.

Concept # 11. Great Leaders are leaders by example. Adherence to high standards of personal conduct by their leaders will earn the trust of subordinates. My favorite way of saying this is to “do what is right when no one is looking”. Setting the example always works to positively to motivate others to succeed. A great leader not only is willing to undertake any task he wants his followers to accomplish, he often excels at those tasks. Deeds not words, a willingness to share hardships can inspire others to great achievement.

So how can you become a better leader and use these eleven concepts to become a better coach? No one can change overnight or should try to change all aspects of their personal leadership style. You can however try and use these concepts where they apply to your program or coaching situation.

Leadership is an art and a science. It is all about influencing others to achieve the mission. There are many different styles from the fiery, charismatic leader to the quiet careful planner. Some are aloof even cold, others friendly and more open. Yet it all comes back to getting the job accomplished. The better the leader, the better the organization, and the easier it is to get the job done right. Great leaders and great coaches embody mental toughness, have a commitment to an enduring set of values, know how to develop talent potential in their organization, give individual consideration to their subordinates and know how to teach others to focus.

Take some time to reflect on these ideas and thoughts. Then use any or all to improve your leadership skills and your team.

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