Eight steps to empower your team.

Imagine this scenario: You arrive at practice 30 minutes early and notice that over half your team is already there practicing on their own.

When you "officially" begin practicing, your team has a positive attitude, a great work ethic, and demands to be challenged on every drill.

After practice, several decide to stay longer for extra work. Sounds too good to be true, right? Wrong!

Successful coaches know that the key to success is creating an environment in which their athletes can develop their fullest potential. Coaches who don't care can create an environment that will turn off the players--make them hate to go to practice, expend little effort, always look to cut corners. and pray for the whole experience to end.

How do some coaches maximize their teams' talent and enjoyment, while others just sap their players' physical and mental enthusiasm.?

At the U. of Arizona, my job is to work with coaches in building a cohesive and successful team. Having had the opportunity to observe some of the best coaches in the land, I have acquired several insights into what it takes to create a successful team. Though I realize that the traditional, dictatorial coaching style that seeks discipline and commitment through instilling fear can achieve results, I believe that the more modern democratic approach is producing more successful and satisfied athletes.

Interestingly,the modem approach closely resembles the new wave of management and leadership that is revolutionizing the business world. You may have heard some of the new phrases, such as "empowerment", "TQM (Total Quality Management)", "mission statements", "self-directed work team", "performance feedback", etc.