What distinguishes a "Regular" coach from a World-Class Coach?

Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool) and Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)

 

My connection to sports is absolutely umbilical. Long story short - I started playing football very early, as a goalkeeper, to be more specific.

After completing a beautiful journey for several years, I became a professional, which I then left to pursue a career in business.

In the past 19 years, I have been involved in various projects that have always had one thing in common: people.

For the past 14 years, I have had the privilege of training, monitoring, and educating a few thousand people. Whether it was my training company in networking and behavioral marketing in Portugal and Brazil or my individual coaching practice since 2017, I have had the opportunity and privilege of training, monitoring, and educating a few thousand people.

By combining my two realities and experiences, I developed an integrated approach to support sports coaches in enhancing their leadership, communication, and emotional intelligence skills (more information here).

 

Let's continue with the theme that I have prepared for you today...

 

What distinguishes a "regular" coach from a world-class coach?

The difference between a 'normal' coach and a world-class coach in sport, specifically football, goes beyond tactical ability.

From my perspective and experience, there are numerous factors that impact this comparison, but I have listed my TOP 5 that distinguish the ordinary from the extraordinary, the common from the remarkable.

 

1. Strategic Vision Beyond the Obvious:

The "normal" coach sees only the game. The world-class sees beyond the game, sees the strategies beyond the obvious. He anticipates trends, adjusts to dynamic changes, and is open to innovation and taking risks. His vision goes beyond the next game and embraces the future with innovative and disruptive tactics.

 

2. Deep human connection:

While a "normal" trainer focuses only on technical capabilities, the world-class understands the importance of human bonding. He not only trains players, he creates and develops deep and meaningful relationships, understanding individual motivations, inspiring a collective culture of excellence.

 

3. Increased Emotional Intelligence:

The big difference is in how they manage emotions. The "regular" coach goes with emotions, much like the "heart in the throat", which in many cases blurs his peripheral vision and discernment to make good choices. The world class can keep calm under pressure, translating and leveraging emotional intelligence for a high performing team. He understands that emotions are a tool, not a distraction.

 

4. Constantly Seeking Knowledge:

Coaches who follow the norm may become stagnant, content with their current knowledge, frequently believing that everything has already been invented and there is no need to learn more. The world-class maintains an insatiable thirst for learning. As an eternal apprentice, he acknowledges that sports are practiced by humans, not machines. Just like humans, athletes have different needs that affect how they perform. He is constantly up-to-date with the latest trends, studies innovative methods, never underestimates the importance of constant evolution, and, like his athletes, works with someone who inspires him to evolve.

 

With Paulo Fonseca, Head Coach of LOSC Lille (French First League), coachee on my program for Professional Sports Coaches.

 

5. Quickly adapting capability:

While the "normal" coach resists change, the world-class one embraces it with vigor. It swiftly adapts to new challenges and contexts, adjusts its tactics as required, and transforms adversity into genuine growth opportunities.

Being a world-class coach goes far beyond winning championships and trophies. It’s all about creating a lasting legacy and developing not just players, but above all, extraordinary human beings.

 

When you have extraordinary people, you're guaranteed to have better athletes.

 

Strategic vision, human connection, emotional intelligence, thirst for knowledge and rapid adaptation are the pillars that distinguish the common from the exceptional.

That each coach, aspiring to be world-class, takes with him not only refined techniques, but all these intangible attributes that transcend the pitch and truly mark a remarkable career.

 

The same old hug.

Coach + Talent Igniter

#Leadership #Communication #EmotionalIntelligence #Performance

 

Credits on top images: UK Coaching and Sky Sports.