Choose The RIGHT Teacher, Trainer Mentor or Coach To Help You Be The Best You Can Be

Legendary Coach John Wooden wrote a book based on his incredible coaching philosophy; his style, his methodology and approach - You Haven't Taught Until They Have Learnt.

The difference here in Wooden's approach (compared to most others in a teaching, coaching or mentoring role) is his complete OWNERSHIP of the fact that no matter what good things he has to share and teach, it's all completely useless and wasteful if those he coaches and trains, aren't learning.

He wanted his work and teachings to have impact. And, he cared enough to want to make those under his guidance and instruction, get that impact. (Wooden was a world respected basketball coach leading UCLA to an unprecedented number of victories)  

Yes, all improvements and results are ultimately down to the efforts of those one teaches and coaches.

However, without a dedicated caring passion to want his teachings to be immersed and ingrained, without deeply caring whether or not his work makes a difference in the lives of all those he instructs, it would be just another 'money for services' relationship like we see happening almost everywhere - with participants, delegates and attendees lost at sea because of a ton of unexplained information swirling around inside, unable to understand the connectivity and relationship to it all, and, to their personal outcomes and results.

The RIGHT person can help create order, structure and understanding. 

The biggest Football team in the World to many - Manchester United - performed miserably last season due to the thinking, attitude and application of Manager, David Moyes. He was sacked after 10 months into a 6 year contract. His way was said to have cost the team some £50m in lost revenue. And, probably more than that if he was to continue in his role.

Louis van Gaal

Enter Louis van Gaal (right) a 62 year old Dutchman coming in with a proven record of success with Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern, and now, the new Manager of Manchester United;  So what has he done in his short 4 week tenure so far with Manchester United since leaving his post with his Dutch National side - whom he took to 3rd place in the recent 2014 World Cup tournament in Brazil?

He's already created a powerful spirit within the team. Created a distinctive presence - leading to authority and respect between the players and himself (under Moyes, there were obvious and visible signs of weak leadership and lackluster authority). Van Gaal has players fighting for each and every ball, training sessions are intense and competitive, he has instilled a willingness and desire for his players to WANT to become the best they can be. (Something Moyes couldn't do in 10 months. Van Gaal has done in under a month)

And when they aren't performing to the levels he'd want them to? Van Gaal tells them; straight and true. But telling is not enough. He'd work on creating specific training regimes for individual players. How's it all working out so far? In his 4 matches to date, Manchester United are yet to lose a match, and he started his first match in charge with a 7-0 thumping of Los Angles Galaxy.

Through his passion, caring and leadership, Louis Van Gaal has turned his player's minds around in a way David Moyes, couldn't. He has inspired everyone connected with Manchester United through his teachings, trainings, methodologies and work ethic.  
 
As Wooden and Van Gaal proves; the RIGHT teacher, trainer mentor or coach who cares deeply enough can make ALL the difference in the results they create for others.

Whatever you do, seek out the best help you can to BECOME the best version of yourself you can be.

The Practice of Talent

Friend and Coach, Steve Chandler, mentioned a book in a recent communication to members of his Club Fearless (http://www.clubfearless.net/).

The title of the book intrigued me, as well as the work inside. The book's full title is - The Talent Code - unlocking the secret of skill in maths, art, music, sport, and just about anything else. Written by author, Daniel Coyle.

The book is an amazing journey into the 'talent hotbeds' of the world. If you thought genius' was reserved for 'others', get this book and you'll find a hotbed of lies and assumptions we may have been living with for years.

The key idea that I took away (and which was totally evident from the work in the book) was that talent and skill, is available to everyone because we all have it, in some way, shape or form.

And, that, when practiced and rehearsed and when we are coached or mentored to reach the best version of what we're capable of, we can literally, shift our own world.

I've also scuffed and dog eared and written notes on almost every page of a book called, 'You Haven't Taught if They Haven't Learned.'

This book is golden because it comes from two people - one (Swen Nater) who has been directly mentored and tutored by the legendary master basketball coach, Coach John Wooden, and, the other (Ronald Gallimore) who studied and analysed the coaching principles, philosophies and practices of the great Wooden. And he identified certain patterns and traits we can all use to better our lives in whatever area we choose.

(John Wooden coached UCLA - University of California, Los Angeles - to an unprecented 10 victories in the most demanding of college sports arenas you can imagine. And, it wasn't by accident or luck that he became the 'winningest' coach in history.)

A couple of Coach Wooden's many guiding principles, has to do with practice and skill. And, that by hard diligent application, any skill could be learned.

He was a master at ensuring his practice sessions were nothing but skill, team spirit and conditioning based, and, that there was no time wasted in unnecessary activity. In fact, the planning of his practice session lasted longer than the practice session itself!

Coach Wooden was known to have put his players through a process until players could execute the fundamentals in an automatic and unconscious way.

In other words, the disciplined practice of talent.
Those are 4 words worth considering jotting down - especially if you're looking to help others (or yourself) to excel at something where they're not quite 'there' yet.

Continuing with the sporting context here, let me use another couple because I think it ties things together.

The two soccer players you see on the left are considered two of the best in the world.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Both players went head to head in the recent European Cup Winner's Final where Messi, playing for Barcelona, outshone his fellow skill merchant who played for Manchester United, where Barcelona, lifted the trophy.

What I found instructional and informative, were the pre-match comments of Manchester United's manager and coach, Sir Alex Ferguson - it was about the skill and application of that skill by both 'gifted grafters'.

Ferguson strongly believes that it's their work ethic that sets them apart. That they marry their talents with hard work. He says... "there are some players like Messi and Ronaldo who are innately gifted. But this is not enough and there is a practice element which becomes very important".

He also went on to say...

"If you watch Ronaldo, he practices after every squad training session".

What's obvious here is that the 'special quality' most top players posses, is the fact that they're willing to want to go and look for that extra edge. And they do that by creating and developing something on their own.

There's something about the phrase "an overnight success" that has 'injustice' written all over it. But then again, I suppose that those who do anything worthwhile, practice their overnight success to perfection - every night!

Andy Murray is hoping to become Britain's Men's Wimbledon Singles Tennis champ - after a 71-year drought. The last British man to lift the trophy in victory, was, Fred Perry.

Many years ago, Perry (below) was asked about whether the nation would produce another Wimbledon winner.

His answer was somewhat revealing and a kick in the head to all those 'overnight success' seekers.

"It's not a matter of producing anybody," he said. "It's a case of somebody, somewhere, who wants to succeed badly enough and is determined and bloody-minded enough to make sure he does."

Skill and talent lies in head zone of anyone and everyone.

Practice is the instructive genius that'll make anyone a believer... of themselves. And if you care to prove it, all you've got to do is... put it to the test.

Raja Hireker
www.CoachingByWriting.com