Always a Coach

Some of my best memories are coaching high school sports.  I coached for 10 years and the above picture was a highlight for me.  My high school varsity basketball team played on the Golden State Warrior's court against another high school team.  The players had the opportunity to dress and hang out in the locker room, and then come in before the actual NBA game that evening and get autographs and watch warm-ups.  It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of them.

Since my own high school years, I loved coaching people in any way I could.  From working at summer camps teaching rock climbing, to white water rafting, to teaching kids to water ski and wake board, I always enjoyed coaching and teaching.

As a high school teacher, I was always working to coach students not only in sports, but in life and the life skills of budgeting, responsibility, and relationships.  Once I became an administrator, I loved coaching teachers.  The model I always employed was as a coach, not a boss evaluating the teacher. Whether it was coaching how to implement technology, classroom management, or curriculum, I always focused on the tenants of a good coach: 1) build teamwork and trust,  2) support and praise, 3) hold the bar high and have clear expectations.

As I have moved to a level where I can work with principals, teachers, and office staff, I still adhere to the coaching model.  I constantly want to motivate and support growth and excellence.  As I've worked recently to support technology infusion in schools and tech tools to support positive school cultures, I'm coaching and facilitating school leaders.  I love to coach adults and kids, and when I reflect on the most effective mentors I've had; they were coaches to me, not dictators or "bosses" or people who worked in silos and on islands.

I was always most proud of my sports teams I coached when the received the "sportsmanship" awards.  The many wins and trophies we acquired were great, but the recognition for being highly respected athletes and teams who conducted themselves professionally meant more to me.

I see myself as always a coach each and every day.  Both at work and at home with my own kids, I strive to teach and coach about life, to motivate to be the best we can, and to be winners in the game of life.

Are you a coach?  Do your friends, co-workers, and employees see you as a coach or something else? Reflecting on what a coach is and isn't helps your own analysis of where you are.  In the end, simply thinking about how you work with people is a great starting point to answering the question of "are you a coach".