Lead by Coaching
Moving from team member to team coach
By Jeff Pal, president, Leadertrain America

Let’s take a look inside for a moment. Think of a long-term goal that you want to achieve. Now, think of a person who may be able to help you accomplish this goal. What type of person is this? What gives him the ability to assist you in this venture? What qualities does this person have that makes her effective? In other words, what will this person have to do to aid you in your venture? It could be any number of characteristics—supportive, knowledgeable, encouraging, challenging, etc. Take a moment and write some of the qualities down that you feel would assist you.

The purpose of the above exercise is to look at what qualities we need from people in leadership positions. What characteristics do they possess that give them the ability to help us overcome obstacles and achieve our goals? There is no cookie-cutter answer to this question. There are any number of methods and personality traits that leaders have to “encourage” others to succeed. Ultimately, it’s possessing the ability to take a group of individuals from diverse backgrounds, turn them into a cohesive team, and then achieve success. That is coaching.

When students first become active in campus organizations, much of that initial time is spent learning about the organization, the individuals inside the organization, and about himself. This is a needed step in the development of an individual from just being a team member to becoming a team leader. However, once that threshold has been passed and experience brings the possibility of leadership forward, the question of “how to lead” emerges.

Create a Shared Destination
I remember when I was a child and my parents would make me do yard work. I hated it. In my mind, it wasn’t my yard it was their yard. My parents determined its look. They made the decisions on what and when. I was just a helper. I felt no internal motivation to achieve their goals. Today it’s different. I have my own yard. I actually enjoy doing yard work. I make the decisions now on what and when. I now have the internal motivation.

Taking this situation and comparing it to student organizations, the concept is very similar. If we want people to feel passionate about our team’s “yard” and the “yard work” that goes along with it, we must allow them input into its design. By creating a shared destination, we can better ensure that the members of our team have a vested interest in how the outcome is achieved.

You are the Teacher
The essence of coaching is teaching. A good coach knows about the area she is coaching about. She has experiences and knowledge that build a foundation from which everything is delivered. If you’re going to effectively coach your organization to success, you’ll need to have a good base of knowledge about the organization. Where has it been? What is its recent history? How do things get accomplished in your organization?

Teaching is not only about knowing what you know but also knowing whom you’re teaching. It’s about being patient with your members as they learn the system of your organization, and it’s about remembering where you were when you were inexperienced. Finally, it’s about teaching the “ins” and “outs” of the organization while understanding that these individuals are still developing and may do or say some curious things.

Support/Encourage
Have you ever had a boss that looked over your shoulder every time you did something? How did that make you feel? When I think back on the various positions I’ve held, the ones I enjoyed the most were the ones that allowed me to try things without fearing a wrath if I failed. A good coach has the end result of what should be accomplished in mind. He knows that to get the team where it needs to be in April, some bumps will probably have to happen in October. This is not to say that problems or mistakes occur and they get overlooked. Good coaches are patient through the early mistakes and fully explain why something is a mistake. Good coaches support and encourage team members as they work through some of the rough areas. The key is to allow these members the opportunity to take on challenges that may result in great or not-so-great results.

The worst thing a coach can do is to totally lack trust in everyone else in the group. If the coach tries to take on everything, two things will occur. One, the coach will burn out. Two, the team members will become disconnected and disinterested in their positions. They may even feel resentful. The fact of the matter is, for you to be a successful coach, you’re going to have to trust your ability to train others to do a good job. Secondly, you’re going to have to trust other people to take on some important roles. Sure, there may be times when the end result is not up to par. It does happen. However, you must remember that your job is to help make this team successful. It’ll never be successful if you micromanage every aspect of the organization. Delegating responsibility and trusting your teammates is the only way you’ll ever really succeed.

Assess/Re-Evaluate
Take a moment and think about long-term plans you’ve made in your life. It may be college choice, career choice, relationships, etc… Did they go exactly the way you had planned them from the beginning? If they did, consider yourself lucky. My guess is that most of them had some twists, turns, and alterations along the way. It is just the way things go. Your organizational plans are not any different. Every successful coach knows that the direction of the team has to be constantly re-evaluated. She has to make plans based on the unforeseen situations that come up. The good coach stays flexible enough to bend with the unexpected. Along with the rest of your team, you must always be willing to look at direction, roles, and motivation to have a better shot at reaching your destination.

Always remember that a good coach develops over time. It doesn’t happen overnight. Staying in touch with the pulse of your organization, while constantly training yourself to be a stronger leader and coach, will ultimately lead to success. By keeping your ears, eyes, and mind open, you’ll always have a greater chance of achievement.

Jeff Pal is president of Leadertrain America, a company that creates leadership training workshops for colleges across the country. Pal has also spent twelve years in higher education. He has held positions in the areas of campus activities, residence life, leadership development and intramural sports. His most recent position was as director of student development at Rockford College in Illinois. Contact Pal at jeffpal@leadertrainamerica.com.

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