Communicate the Game Plan
9 Mar 2007
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15
Every good coach I’ve watched has worked from a game plan. He’s got one not only for each individual game, but a plan for the development of the whole team over the course of the current and upcoming seasons. Once the game plan has been drawn up, he then communicates it to his team on an almost continual basis. Paul “Bear” Bryant, the late Alabama football coach, had five points that explained what he believed a coach should do:
1. Tell players what you expect of them.
2. Give players an opportunity to perform.
3. Let players know how they’re getting along.
4. Instruct and empower players when they need it.
5. Reward players according to their contribution.
The process must begin with communicating the game plan. That is the key to productivity. But it must continue with the exchange of information. As Sydney J. Harris said, information is “giving out” while communication is “getting through.” When there is interactive communication between the team leader and his people, it empowers them to succeed.
[tags]Leadership, Take lead, Communication, Relationship[tags]
