“A coach’s main job is to reawaken a spirit in which the players can blend together effortlessly.” –Phil Jackson
My debut column for Barrett Media – July 16th – covered coaching outside our industry.
Why?
Here’s the final three lines of that piece:
“Investment in our people is the number one priority for growing our brands. Talent is the only thing that cannot be duplicated across platforms. The biggest differentiator to make your brand unique and sticky to the listener – is talent!”
Music – branding – audio production – social platforms – event production. All important.
However – talent trumps them all.
Our industry talent coaching roster is robust.
Big names on that roster include Valerie Geller, Randy Lane, and Tracy Johnson. This group preach and publish long – and short – form talent coaching guidance.
Lesser known names yet still as brilliant include Tommy Kramer, Lorna Ozmon, and Lisa Williams.
Call on any one of these exceptional coaches, and your personal brand will flourish.
How about a look outside our business to develop soft skills aside from the blocking and tackling nuts and bolts of coaching talent?
Here’s a peek.
Phil Jackson racked up 11 NBA titles between Chicago and Los Angeles.
While Jackson shepherded rosters of exceptional talent, he used non-sequester methods to focus and bond his team.
He gave them – books.
Yes – hard copy page-turning – books.
Phil would often customize the titles to each player – giving them away as birthday and holiday gifts.
Michael Jordon received “Song of Solomon” by Toni Morris. “The Ways of White Folks” by Langston Hughes found its way to Scottie Pippen, while “Montana 1948”by Larry Watson was under Kobe Bryant’s Christmas tree.
There were a few titles he encouraged his teams to read and absorb collectively – with themes like mindfulness, teamwork, and personal growth:
“Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” by Robert M. Pirsig emphasized the importance of quality of life, mindfulness, and balance in their lives.
“The Tao of Pooh” by Benjamin Hoff, using Winnie the Pooh to illustrate Taoist principles, aligning with Jackson’s coaching philosophy.
“The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle focuses on living in the present moment and being fully engaged in each game and practice.
Zen – what we do is important. It is – however – not greater than self.
Tao – self-acceptance and personal growth. There’s power in effortless doing.
Now – this is all we have. The present – and being present – is important to your team.
Brilliant stuff easily incorporated into your coaching sessions.
The legendary Austin Country Club golf coach Harvey Penick had his own unique approach to coaching.
Harvey emphasized custom, individualized instruction rather than clinic-style lessons. He recognized that each golfer has unique strengths and weaknesses that require tailored feedback, as noted in his “Little Red Book.”
Focusing on one-on-one coaching could provide specific advice that catered to the player’s individual grip, swing, and routine.
Harvey also wanted to ensure that each player’s development was kept private. His students, golf royalty Tom Kite and Ben Crenshaw, would never receive instruction within eye or ear sight of each other.
Harvey believed that if Kite or Crenshaw witnessed each other’s lesson, they might wonder, ‘WHY isn’t he telling me THAT.’ One of the golfers could also pick up another’s bad habit—poor grip – weak takeaway – placid putting practice routine.
He also thought that allowing them to observe each other’s lessons might create unnecessary pressure or comparison, which could hinder their progress. Penick’s philosophy was centered on building confidence and fostering a personal connection with each golfer. Not a group.
Individualized Instruction – one-on-one coaching with audio examples grows talent best
Group Coaching – Adverse effects far outweigh the cost efficiencies of a mass coaching event – don’t do it
Talent Comparison – undue pressure is artificially created as emerging talent is in danger of exposure to other talents’ habits rather than creating their own
World Class sports psychologist, Dr. Bob Rotella, offers valuable insights into the mental aspects of performance.
Here are key pieces of advice:
Focus on the Process – Concentrate on the specific actions and routines that lead to success rather than fixating on outcomes or results, which reduces stress
Embrace Positive Thinking: Cultivate a positive mindset by focusing on strengths and past successes. Replace negative thoughts with constructive affirmations – building confidence.
Visualize Success: Utilize visualization techniques to imagine successful performances. This mental rehearsal can enhance confidence and prepare talent for actual performance.
Process – develop a personal prep routine that will center talent as they begin their show
Mindset – Positive approach to their craft will radiate throughout their performance
Imagine – A mental picture of a performance improves the odds for success in that day’s show.
As for books our teams have received or traded:
“The Purple Cow” by Seth Godin. What YOU need to do to stand out. Either you’re PURPLE, or you’re not. A masterclass – 20 years in the making – on marketing.
“How Successful People Grow” by John Maxwell. Laws of The Mirror, self-awareness, and contribution will change the way you get to your WHY
“Atomic Habits” by James Clear. A framework for improving in little steps. Breaking habit isn’t on YOU. It’s on your SYSTEM
Sharing a reading exercise among your talent and team strengthens the unit as a whole.
And – peek into how coaching experts focus in differing industries and motivate a team in differing industries is a great exercise to grow your coaching practice.
Kevin Robinson is a passionate award-winning programmer, consultant and coach – with multi-formats success all over the country. He has advised numerous companies including Audacy (formerly Entercom Communications), Beasley Broadcast Group, Westwood One, Midwest Communications, Townsquare Media, Midwest Family Broadcasting Group, EG Media Group, Federated Media, Kensington Media, mediaBrew Communications, Starved Rock Media, and more. He specializes in strategic radio cluster alignment, building lean-forward tactics and talent coaching – legacy and entry-level – personalities.
Known largely as a trusted talent coach, Kevin is the only personality mentor who’s coached three different morning shows on three different brands in the same major market to the #1 position. His efforts have been recognized by The World Wide Radio Summit, Radio & Records, NAB’s Marconi, and he has coached CMA, ACM and Marconi Award-winning talent. He is also in The Zionsville High School Hall of Fame as part of the 2008 inaugural class. Kevin is an Indiana native – living near Zionsville with his wife of 39 years, Monica and can be reached at kevin@robinsonmedia.fm.
