By Bo Hanson – 4x Olympian, Coaching Consultant & Director of Athlete Assessments
Has your season ever got off to a rocky start? Did you find that pulling the rest of the season together was like moving mountains? Or, the opposite has happened. What’s the difference? In this article we focus on why getting the first 15% of your season right, is critical to the success of the following 85%. This concept originally comes from W. Edwards Deming:
“Deming is the American Statistician who established the Total Quality Movement, first in Japan and then in the rest of the world. Deming’s contribution is historically so important that US News & World Report called him one of the “nine hidden turning points in history” (along with the birth control pill and the Apostle Paul). After over 50 years of statistical study, Deming pointed out that in every process there is a beginning and an end. When you focus on the first 15% of that process and get it correct (it’s initial conditions), you ensure at least 85% of you desired outcome. By focusing on the first 15% of anything, the remaining 85% will effortlessly follow.”
This excerpt was taken from a business improvement book, which emphasizes the how vital the first 15% is to any process in business. But how does this concept apply to coaching?
The first 15% in Coaching
Often, when problems occur during the season, whether it be with player behavior, team dynamics or underperformance, it is because this vital time wasn’t invested upfront. Prevention is always better than a cure. Coaching is a process just like any other. If you can ensure that you effectively manage the first 15% of your coaching season, the following 85% will flow a lot easier. So what does this mean? What do you need to get right in the first 15% to ensure that your season is a success? In the rest of this article we will talk about concepts you should ensure you have right in the first 15% of your season.
Pre-Season Preparation Using the GRIP Model
Many of our new clients ask us for ideas on how to best prepare a team mentally for the upcoming season. Our article on Pre-Season Preparation Using the GRIP Model is written to give you the exact methods we use to start any sporting season on the right footing. Starting on the right foot ensures each team member is heading in the same direction and avoids potential misalignment when it counts the most. We use the GRIP Model, which includes critical elements that contribute to effective, high-performance teams. In our article we explain how you can use Goals, Roles, Interpersonal relationships and Procedures and processes in your preseason preparation. Read our article onPre-Season Preparation Using the GRIP Model now!
Bonding Athletes to their Coach, Team and Club
As a coach ensuring your athlete is always striving to gain a 1% improvement in their performance can be one of the hardest parts of your job. At Athlete Assessments, we often speak about the importance of a quality coach-athlete relationship, and how this can be used to improve athlete performance. This article on Bonding Athletes to their Coach, Team and Club discusses how to improve emotional bonds and engagement, and how understanding these factors improves your athlete’s performance. Read our article on Bonding Athletes to their Coach, Team and Club now!
Athlete Induction Programs
Pre-season is a hectic time of year. There is usually a long list of important items to organize and sometimes things can slip through the cracks. No doubt, like most programs, you have athletes who have left and new athletes arriving. The induction of a new athlete into your program is something you need to get 100% right. Being strategic about your athlete induction program helps you to set the foundation for your athlete joining your program (and re-establish returning athletes).
For your benefit, we have compiled an article which includes seven things to get right to ensure that your athlete starts on the right foot in your program. These points are not rocket science – but ensuring you cover each point in the checklist allows you to be an expert in this area. Read our article on Athlete Induction Programs now!
Pre-Season Camps: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
Today, pre-season camps are an important part of the sports program for professional and amateur teams around the world. At their best, pre-season camps can deliver a necessary anchoring experience. In the tough moments of the season’s competition, the team can draw from the camp and find what is needed to deliver a win. At worst, the team is anchored to an experience which reminds them of their short comings, embarrassed them in front of their peers and at its ugliest, put them out for the season with an injury.
In our article on Pre-Season Camps, we explore what creates a successful pre-season camp or team building exercise, the best activities to include, what organization is required and what the overall objective of any pre-season camp should be. Read our article on Pre-Season Camps now!
The People side of Sport and Your Pre-Season
In this Video Presentation by Bo Hanson, find out how to set up and navigate a successful season (despite the usual conflict, personality clashes or communication breakdowns). No matter how prepared you are for your season, you are bound to encounter some conflict, personality clashes and communication breakdowns. In this presentation Bo Hanson discusses how to best organize your Pre-Season to minimize the effect of these issues when it matters most- in competition!
Starting with a review of the Stages of Team Development followed by an explanation of the GRIP and DISC Models, this five-part presentation shows you how to confidently navigate your way through the season with the very best chance of success. Watch our Video Presentation on the People Side of Sport and Your Pre-Season now!
Stages of Team Development in Sport
Every high-performance Team at least goes through the four main stages of team development. The first four stages of team growth were first developed by Bruce Wayne Tuckman based on research he conducted on team dynamics. He believed (as is a common belief today) these stages were inevitable for a team to grow to a point where they could function together effectively and deliver high quality results. Find out how being able to recognize and effectively manage the Stages of Team Development can be critical for your Teams Success. Read on about the Stages of Team Development.
At Athlete Assessments, we’re here to provide you with excellence in service and here to help you be your best. If there is anything we can assist you with, please Contact Us.
