Why a Team Coach?
I am a team coach.
I went back and forth and round and round with getting to this 2-word description of what I do. There are dictionary definitions of words, and then there are the social interpretation and jargon of words. My list was long of possible words and combinations. Trying to find the term for what I do, I looked up words like consultant, mentor, trainer, facilitator, champion, cheerleader and coach. For the part about who I work with, I searched words like tribes, organizations, companies, people, employees, staff and teams.
I chose Team and Coach because a coach and a team are part of each other, not separate from each other.
If we use sports as a reference, a Coach has no use or job without a team, so the coach is literally part of the team. Owners choose and hire coaches specifically to bring out the best in the players. Coaches can be the connectors between the players of the game and the business of the game.
A coach is the part of the team that knows the game well, likely because they have played it for a long time; they have practiced, learned, adjusted, experimented, won, lost, and had coaches themselves. They understand the team as a collective, get to know the players individually, their skills, and their blind spots, and ultimately offer whatever resources and support they have to help the team get to the win. The best coaches are ready to give back the support they have received and pass on their love for their sport to future generations of players.
Now let’s talk, team. In a baseball team, some positions are pitcher, outfielder, catcher, 1st, 2nd, 3rd baseman, designated batter etc. All very different positions and all interdependent on each other to play the game well. Individuals can be competent in more than one position, but during any specific play, they will stick to the position they have been assigned.
When each person is playing their part, everyone in the team is secure enough to play their part to the best of their ability.
Baseball is also a great example of communication. Positions let each other know what is happening during the game with various hand signals that everyone on the team knows the meaning of.
No one position is more important than another in a strong team. Some positions are more visible in a game. For example, a goalie in hockey or a quarterback in football will get a lot of glory or flack, depending on how they play. But how well they play depends significantly on how well the other positions are playing. If you are missing a player, the team can still win, but everyone needs to put in just a little more – and it may not be sustainable for the long haul.
Putting the right coach with the right team is an integral part of the future of any sports team.
In sports, the constants are the rules, history, and structure. The people – the players and the fans- change, shape, and create energy for the sport. For this reason, coaches can be the constant holders of history, and sometimes they can be the fresh perspective a team needs. In sports, players and coaches change for so many reasons and needs.
Your business is the same, it needs constants such as values, goals, budgets, systems etc. These are the business elements and are separate from the people elements, co workers and customers who bring the energy and life to your business. These elements need to be clearly defined and put together in a way that makes unique sense for your business, the people working in it, and, if relevant to your business, the clients or customers.
Pulling this all back to the top of this article, TEAM and COACH are the perfect words for who I am and what I do. Coaches are a connection between the business needs and the people needs. Offering, support, outside perspective and energy to whatever the daily work looks like.
Together we can get curious, clear and connected to each other and the business in a way that makes sense and works for you. As a Team Coach, I’ll become part of your team, work with you, using your resources and values to move towards your goals.
Inspired by:
A casual conversation with a sports fan at a bar in Calgary.
