Influence for Today's Coaches

What is your coaching status? Will you stay in that lane? Who can help you move up? Who is the most successful coach in your conference or area? Why are they successful? Have you talked with them or asked what's their secret? What former or admired coaches could give you insight?

What positives can you draw from last season? Would you consider it a success? What do you hope to accomplish this season? What would your players say about last season? Should we make wholesale changes? How can we nurture young players early in their career?

Who is influencing your players ability to play? What messages are they sending? Will it impact your player's game? Are they listening to someone else more than you? How can you deal with it? What messages are you sending from the sidelines? Do your words have meaning? How will you approach a player who is independent in all they do, regardless of what you say? If the parent is the cause, what will you do?

Do you award an MVP to your team? Has it ever caused dissension? Did it change the player in a positive or negative way? What was the reaction by teammates? How would you deal with an MVP who's attitude drastically changes in a bad way? Do you feel comfortable handing out that award? How can you help an MVP who's clearly indifferent with teammates?

What will be different this coming season? What will be the same? What are your team goals? What do you hope to accomplish? What's the key to reaching your goals? How would you describe your team? What's the key to your leadership being effective?

How are you working with your team during the Coronavirus? How would you rate their emotional stability? What is their biggest question or concern? Are you in contact with them weekly or more often? Have you given them assignments, tasks or challenges to complete? Are your leaders assisting? What ideas do they have? Do you feel you need to have all the answers? What is your mental outlook through all this?

What coaching decisions outside the game are most challenging for you? Are you able to hold all players accountable? Have you ever delayed accountability to allow a player to play? How did other players react to that decision? Are you consistent in your decisions?

Have you been confronted after a game? Blamed for a loss? Criticized over a starting lineup? Second Guessed on a substitution? Most of us would answer yes. It goes with the territory as a leader in sports or business. How will you react? Are young coaches prepared to face this challenge? Do we lose potential great coaches in the process? How is your school or club grooming new coaches to be prepared for these possibilities?

Wish you all the best as you work through personal challenges of this global virus with family, team and those who depend on you. I pray you are safe.

Are your players able to work through mistakes? What emotions are they feeding? Are they positive or negative? What steps can they take to reset their thoughts? Are you as their coach contributing to negative emotions? How do you react to their play when its less than stellar?