The U.S. Army defines a leader as “anyone who inspires and influences people to accomplish organizational goals.” Generally, there is no step-by-step instruction on how to be a leader. Some people are born with natural leadership characteristics; however, leaders are almost always made—not born.
Assistant coaches are on the front lines of instruction and execution. In the college game, assistants simultaneously play a significant part in recruiting, as a front-facing representation of the program. Such important roles require mature and curious leaders.
Great programs develop and empower assistant coaches to become leaders, but learning to become a leader is not easy. “Fake it till you make it” doesn’t work for long term leadership—your players will eventually see through it. Leadership profiles can’t be faked, but they can be developed through experience and experimentation.
It’s easy to solely focus on the details of your specific coaching area. Becoming a technical expert is a step towards becoming a great coach. But ultimately becoming a great coach, recruiter, and motivator of young athletes requires expert level leadership skills.
Before joining the Army, I had no idea how to be a leader. I tried to emulate people I respected...but had a hard time finding my own voice. Over the last 10 years, baseball and the military have taught me several simple and proven methods to increase confidence, and become the leader you can be.
Take Pride in Appearance:
If nothing else, start here. Being put-together instills confidence in both yourself and others. A study from the University of Michigan found messiness to be perceived negatively by others. The same study found “messy” people to most often be described as “careless” or “uncaring.” Tom Brady said culture is about caring; caring about each other, and caring about our shared goals. Leaders cannot be viewed as “careless.”
Dive into Your Organizational Goals:
Assistant coaches should strive to know and understand the vision of the head coach to the greatest extent possible. This isn’t knowing your goal of, “We want to win conference.” This is knowing how your head coach intends to accomplish those goals on and off the field. Ask your Head Coach “why?” Be curious to know their intentions and reasoning. Knowing their vision, philosophies, tendencies, evaluation preferences, etc., will allow you to take action to reach your organization goals on your own—without being told. You will come across as being prepared, organized, and bold—all essential elements of leadership.
Be Decisive:
One of the biggest struggles with young leaders is being decisive. In times of chaos, a bad decision is better than no decision. Use the information you have to make the best choice you can. Decisiveness eliminates doubt. Doubt will kill confidence.
Be Assertive:
Leaders have to be assertive with their words and actions, but being assertive isn’t about being loud. Being assertive is about being heard. Assertiveness is in your tone, not your volume level. Choose your words and actions wisely—but be direct and poignant. The confidence you show by being decisive and assertive will garner respect.
Seek Impact:
We’ve all been there...the game just ended and the team is huddled in the outfield in a horseshoe around the coaching staff. Some coaches feel the need to demonstrate their authority and show their importance and show they are leaders. The best leaders listen. As an assistant, try to have meaning behind every action and every word you speak. Sometimes, that means you won’t say anything. It makes the impact of what you say that much greater in the right moment. Impactful words and actions build respect.
Be Your Genuine Self:
The simplest, yet most difficult task for many people. Buy into your head coach’s vision 100 percent; but execute his or her mission from your own worldview. Being real and genuine is one of the biggest factors in cultivating elite teams. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Accept who you are, and encourage your players to accept who they are. Being genuine builds trust—a cornerstone of leadership.
Seek Council:
Leaders don’t make every decision on their own. George Washington famously created a Leadership Council, inviting his top generals to provide input on important decisions. He didn’t always take every piece of advice, but his Leadership Council meetings brought out alternative ideas, built trust, and gave ownership to his subordinates—empowering his staff.
Seeking the thoughts of others will inspire both sides of the table, which cultivates motivation. Ask for input from mature players and listen to what they say. This will make them feel heard and build trust. Create your own leadership council among your peers and fellow assistants, and don’t be afraid to involve yourself in the leadership council of your head coach.
If baseball is 90 percent mental, then coaches should strive to lead in ways that plant seeds for mental growth. Following these simple methods will get you there by creating an environment of trust and confidence.