In 2016, Medium posted an online article about “Project Oxygen”, a process by which Google focused on eight principles to bring new life and effectiveness to its management process back in 2008 after a series of missteps affected internal relationships and workflows. After receiving employee feedback about where problems existed, Google knew that by focusing on these eight areas, it would be able to re-strengthen the bond between leaders and employees and improve staff culture across the board.
Whether in sports or in ministry, the best coaches are the ones who know their teams.
While there may be another time to address all the items on the list, it’s the first one that really stood out to me the most, and I feel that it’s an important enough note that it deserves special focus.
According to Google, and the results it received on this employee survey, the most important quality that team members were looking for in a manager was that the person leading them “was a good coach.”
I’m a huge sports fan, so seeing this type of language really resonated with me. I think we hear a lot in ministry about how we need to be better leaders, but how often do we hear about how we need to be better coaches? And what does that actually mean?
First, whether in sports or in ministry, the best coaches are the ones who know their teams. They are aware that their team members aren’t just a name, a number, or a position, but they’re real people with real lives.
No team member will reach their full potential if they’re just haphazardly dumped into a role...
In order for me to be an effective coach in ministry, I have to take time to build relationships with my team members as people first, not as technicians. I need to know their family, their hobbies, and their joys and sorrows. As I get to know them, I’ll also get a better understanding of what makes them tick, what they hope to become, and what they feel they’re capable of.
We are all different parts of an overall body, and each of us was designed with a unique gift and function. A good coach knows the strengths and weaknesses of his or her team members so they can be deployed in a way that best takes advantage of their skills and brings strength to the group around them.
I must treat my team the same way. What roles suit someone the best? What environment works best for them? Are there certain people they should or shouldn’t be around, based on how that influences and affects their service? Are there certain types of events that can really excite this person to serve at, or are there others they wouldn’t enjoy as much?
In a life-giving culture, it’s not about prioritizing talent over character, but about making allowances for grace and mercy when people need it.
No team member will reach their full potential if they’re just haphazardly dumped into a role that doesn’t first weigh and consider their abilities, hopes, and dreams. But I can’t know all of those things without first knowing them as a person.
The best coaches are the ones who are then able to flex and adjust their style.
Not every team member needs fluffy clouds, unicorns, and butterflies as their motivational tool. But some do. Not every team member can stand up under blunt assessment of their strengths. But some do, and actually thrive off of it. The wrong tactic can greatly damage a team member’s effectiveness. The key, as a leader and coach, is to know my team well enough that I know how to flex and adapt my leadership style to what different people need.
I also need to be flexible enough to know that sometimes, different people need to get treated differently.
In sports, that often means that the “star” can get some special treatment because of how talented they are. Now, in ministry, that can lead to issues and an unhealthy culture, especially if we allow talent to trump character and we show that “good” people can get away with disruptive behavior because we “need” them on the team.
However, in a life-giving culture, it’s not about prioritizing talent over character, but about making allowances for grace and mercy when people need it. Maybe there’s a firm call time for a Sunday morning rehearsal, but a certain person is consistently late because she’s a single mom and has difficulty securing childcare. Or maybe a teenager really wants to be part of the team but he’s unable to be at the “mandatory” training because of a school event.
Some team members need direction on certain details and techniques, while others may just need the coach to give them some room so they can do their thing.
The point is, instead of being a rigid, my-way-or-the-highway leader, I need to have the willingness to flex and allow people latitude when life demands it. It takes discernment to know these moments, but again, it also requires me to have spent the time really getting to know my team.
Lastly, I think about the fact that coaches are rarely the most talented ones in the group; there are usually team members who can run faster, throw farther, or mix better. Coaches not only have to be OK with knowing that others may be more talented, but they embrace the fact that it’s their job to bring the most out of everyone to ensure they’re developing their talent to the maximum level possible.
Some team members need direction on certain details and techniques, while others may just need the coach to give them some room so they can do their thing. Some may need “tough love” from time to time so they can be motivated to push through obstacles, get back up, and try again. Some may need someone to empathize with and encourage them so they feel secure enough to try (and fail).
Regardless of the personalities involved, every team needs two things from their coaches in order to achieve maximum success: vision and correction.
No one can function at their maximum level if they don’t know where they’re going, what they’re doing, or how success is measured. Every team needs a plan, and it’s the coach’s job to not only develop that plan but to communicate to the team what it is, what everyone’s role is, and how they’ll all get there together.
In the same vein, every team also needs course correction when they get off track. Maybe they’re losing focus or struggling to execute something. The coach can’t be afraid of hurting someone’s feelings by telling them they need to improve. Being part of a team means that sometimes I need to be willing to lay pride aside and make sacrifices for the greater good, even if it’s uncomfortable. Maybe it’s someone else’s turn to have a chance at something.
But the best coaches are not just willing to correct their teams, they’re able to do it in a way that still feels inspiring and encouraging so the team wants to achieve success, not quit because they’ve been failing.
In each of these areas, the characteristics of a successful coach, whether in sports or technical ministry, all tie together. I have to be able to know my team and everyone’s individual personalities, strengths and weaknesses. That then allows me to lead and relate to them uniquely, because my personal preferences and tendencies may not always be what the team needs to be successful. And once I start leading, I must remember that my job is to bring out the best in the people around me, even if that means their visibility starts to eclipse mine.
Leadership encompasses many facets in order to be effective. The best leaders are great coaches, and the best coaches tend to be seen as great leaders too.
