Discover the essential qualities that define a great coach, from continuous improvement to the importance of practice.
Hello everyone and welcome to the Neuro Quarter Hour! During this somewhat holiday season, we continue to provide you with information that we hope is of high quality. Your many views, shares, and comments encourage us to keep this effort going. Please feel free to keep reaching out to us with your questions.
This week's question is a bit more general: what qualities do all great coaches share? This is a question that often arises, particularly in our training sessions where people are constantly looking to improve, which is entirely legitimate.
The first fundamental quality is constant improvement. This involves a certain humility regarding knowledge, the willingness to seek new information, new avenues, and to be supported. During my training sessions, I always repeat that obtaining a certification is just the beginning. Continuous questioning is what will allow coaches to progress.
We encourage participants in our training to develop heightened curiosity in every field. It is crucial to continually educate oneself and to specialize in areas that we may not necessarily address. For example, many sports coaches and paramedical professionals like physiotherapists, osteopaths, or psychomotor therapists attend our training. We provide them with foundational knowledge, but it is up to them to delve deeper into their respective fields, especially if they wish to explore medical or paramedical aspects.
Curiosity means saying to oneself: "Hey, I don’t know this word; I’m going to look up what it means." Similarly, if a concept is not sufficiently developed, one should explore it, even if it is not directly related to your main activity. This approach allows for the discovery of new perspectives and, above all, prevents one from thinking that they hold the unique solution or miracle cure.
An important principle is "Keep It Simple, Stupid" (KISS), often emphasized by Fred Marcérou. This means knowing how to simplify things that, at first glance, appear complex. This also applies to the training programs we offer. I personally feel that I am simplifying my methods more and more. As Fred says, it’s not just about simplification, but also about remembering that the basics are still the basics.
One should not be absorbed by trends and must remain focused on the fundamentals. Great coaches are those who have a perfect mastery of their fundamentals. They often work with exceptional athletes and are capable of addressing complex issues on the field by finding appropriate solutions. This requires knowledge across many domains to uncover the trigger that will allow the athlete to develop and progress.
Do you need to be a great competitor to be a great coach? Not necessarily. It is important to have experienced competition to understand the stress and stakes, but it is not essential to have been an elite athlete. Guy Roux, for example, was not a great football player but became a very successful coach, just like Philippe Lucas. The key is to master the fundamentals of your sport and its concepts, such as neuro-postural reprogramming, and not to limit yourself to a single training.
Science without conscience is but ruin of the soul, to quote Rabelais. You may have a lot of theoretical knowledge, but if you haven’t practiced it, it will be difficult to fully grasp and transmit it. Likewise, practice alone, without theoretical knowledge, is not sufficient. Both aspects must be developed, being at the intersection of theory and practice.
When learning something new, it should be put into practice within 72 hours; otherwise, you risk forgetting 80% of what you learned. This is what I try to do: as soon as I finish a training session, I integrate what I learned into my training or that of my test groups to see what happens. It’s crucial to act immediately.
To better understand the qualities of a great coach, I suggest studying the journeys of those you consider mentors. It’s often said that you are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with. Reading a book by an author and dedicating a week to it is, in a way, spending time with that person. Taking an interest in the biographies of physical trainers, for example, helps to understand their choices and mindset.
By cross-referencing these narratives week after week, you will discover the overarching themes and common qualities among these personalities. Don’t hesitate to reach out to authors or coaches who inspire you, attend their workshops or training sessions to deepen your understanding. Often, a podcast is just an introduction; it’s in training that you discover the full potential of ideas.
I particularly think of Mathieu Boulet, who leads seminars with incredible energy. He is someone driven by a true passion, with a huge heart. He has personally introduced us to the world of neuroscience, and his list of neuro goals is exceptional. Meeting him and following his training has allowed me to rediscover concepts I had previously encountered, like the "Pain-Free Reset," but which I hadn’t fully grasped without his insights. He allowed me to understand the interconnection and the entire sphere surrounding the brain. It’s essential to open yourself to these encounters and continue exploring.
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