A Communication Lesson From the NFL
Posted by Don MacAdam
The Globe and Mail newspaper ran an article from The Associated Press on October 4, 2008. There were some interesting coaching tips on player communication from two very successful NFL coaches.Here is most of the article.
RENTON, WASH. — There may be a secret to coaching success in today’s NFL, though it’s one Vince Lombardi would never stand for: empower your players.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin was 25-23 in New York with no playoff wins when he arrived for the 2007 training camp in Albany, N.Y., to begin a must-win season. The man renowned for inflexible discipline was concerned over players misunderstanding why he made certain decisions. So he established a leadership council of about a dozen players to deal with internal issues.
Mike Holmgren has had his own players’ committee of about half that size in each of his 10 years with the Seahawks. He also had one from 1992-98 while leading Green Bay. Holmgren won a Super Bowl and went to another with the Packers before moving to Seattle…
Coughlin’s Giants are undefeated and the Super Bowl defending champions.
Coincidences?
Players on both teams say the committees enlighten them, unite them, strengthen their teams’ trust.
“It just gives us a chance for you to relate stuff better to your teammates than maybe a coach can,” said all-pro left tackle Walter Jones, a Seahawks committee member. “Not saying you don’t want to hear it from the coach, you are just more comfortable hearing it from a player.
“You build a bond in the locker room. It’s all about respect.”
Added quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, also a committee member: “It makes the players feel they have input.”
Coaches having veterans as their deputies isn’t new in the NFL - or even with the Giants. Bill Parcells used to rely on Harry Carson and George Martin to deliver his intentions and report back on the pulse of New York’s locker room.
But Holmgren and Coughlin have formalized the practice, setting committees and having philosophies on who it should include. Coughlin’s represents older and younger players. Holmgren’s is limited to the captains of the offence, defence and special teams, so it usually includes only established veterans…
Last season, the Giants were 0-2 after routs by Dallas and Green Bay. Fans screamed for Coughlin’s dismissal. Coughlin went to his leadership council and told it there was no other group that he would rather be coaching.
The council relayed the coach’s message. The Giants went on a six-game winning streak en route to shocking the undefeated New England Patriots, one of the biggest upsets in a Super Bowl.
“I think that I’ve communicated better than I have in the past,” Coughlin, 62 and a grandfather, said. “I think I’ve taken the time to do that, attach more significance to that, and been more keenly aware of trying to make everyone understand what’s being done, why it’s being done. And do so with enough advance notice so that there’s time for it to sink in.”
Manning said Coughlin went to his council during New York’s bye last week to inform it he wanted to suspend star receiver Plaxico Burress for that Sunday’s game for missing a team meeting. The quarterback appreciated knowing what was going on.
Coughlin said there was a “very good reaction. The players understood it, they understood why, and they went back to work.”
His last meeting with them was on Monday, apparently over Holmgren wanting to change the way the players review game and practice video.
The 60-year-old has a limit to the give-and-take with his committee.
“I don’t want them coming up to me saying, ‘We want grilled cheese sandwiches on the airplane,’ ” Holmgren said.”We’re talking about things more important
A Radical Book To Help Your Career
Posted by Don MacAdam
The last time I was in Dayton, Ohio, one of my goals was to get our first ebook finished and on line. I had been working with David Esrati, the creative hockey nut who owns The Next Wave (www.thenextwave.biz) ad agency in Dayton. David had his staff members Allison, Seth and Tim working on the finishing touches for the ebook The Hockey Conditioning Handbook. Check it out by hitting the Store tab above. The Next Wave do great work.
When I first walked into David’s office, he handed me a copy of Radical Careering, an eye catching book by Sally Hogshead. The sub title is ‘100 truths to jumpstart your job, your career, and your life.’ David had Sally sign the book “Here’s to Radical Hockey!” That was a nice touch.
When I got home I started reading Radical Careering and couldn’t put it down. The book has information I had seen before along with new material, and all is presented in an informative, entertaining, humorous, and unique way. This is a fun book.
I have used it as a quick pick-me-up to get me going again when I needed a little mental kick in the butt.
Click below to buy your copy. I know you will enjoy…
Radical Careering: 100 Truths to Jumpstart Your Job, Your Career, and Your Life by Sally Hogshead (Paperback - Sep 8, 2005)
62 Used & new from $1.89
Other Editions: Paperback
Excerpt - Back Matter: “… Ready to fire up your shiny new radical careering skills? Let’s go. Online yodtl find all kinds of crazycool …”Surprise me! See a random page in this book.
Here’s to Radical Hockey!
Honesty and Mentoring: Trademarks of a Successful Coach
Posted by Don MacAdam
Mike Babcock is the very successful head coach of the Detroit Red Wings. An excerpt from a recent newspaper article points to two reasons for his success-honesty and mentoring. In the article, he appears to have little problem accepting part of the blame for his team losing a game in the Stanley Cup finals. No excuses or coach speak here. Just an honest assessment of what happened. Refreshing, don’t you think?
The article also mentions how Babcock also talked with Dave King, former NHL head and assistant coach, and former coach of Canada’s National Team. He is one of the most respected coaches in hockey. Babcock uses King, Scotty Bowman, and several others as mentors.
Following is a portion of Eric Duhatschuk’s May 30/08 article in the Canadian newspaper, the Globe and Mail.
PITTSBURGH — Mike Babcock woke up yesterday morning after the Detroit Red Wings’ first loss in the Stanley Cup final and did what he usually does the morning after a game: He talked to his wife and he talked to a fellow coach, Dave King.
It wasn’t necessarily in that order.
Babcock does it for reasons that he patiently explains all the time: That lifetime learning is a core belief, and that no matter how long he stays in hockey, he doesn’t pretend to have all the answers.
Babcock was blunt about where part of the fault lay for Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins - a loss that cut Detroit’s lead in the best-of-seven series to 2-1. He admitted to overplaying his two best forwards, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, although he added that they didn’t do a good job of keeping their shifts short enough.
Honesty is a ‘must have’ quality to be successful. It might take people awhile to find out you are not honest, but they will eventually figure it out. Players will be the first group to see any lack of honesty. An important rule for coaches- Never try to fool your players. It can’t be done for any significant length of time.
Mentors have the ability to bring the best out in your coaching. We don’t have to learn everything ourselves. Get great mentors and find out what they have learned. Share ideas, ask questions and be sure to listen.
