Consistency – The Basketball Coaching Roadmap

Have you ever had a really bad day? Obviously you have. We all do, but it’s important you don’t let this affect your mood at practice. Your players need consistency and predictability and being consistent in your approach will maximize your team’s focus and potential. Almost all teams mimic their coach’s personality. If you are negative and don’t handle adversity well, you can expect your team will be similar. If you are calm under pressure, you can expect your team to be the same. Consistently modelling desired behavior is the best way to influence your players.

It is just as important that you and your assistants have consistency within your approach to the team. If you expect a certain standard or want things done a certain way, you must ensure your assistants spread the same teachings. It can be very powerful to have multiple voices echoing the same message. More than one message can lead to confusion, frustration and discontent.

At times, I can be too lenient in some of my daily expectations and I am consistent with this approach. Some of my assistants would like to show less tolerance for anything below their expectations. This issue creates the most tension and disagreements between us. There is nothing wrong with hashing out our differing viewpoints, but we need to keep that discussion amongst ourselves. When it comes to the group, it’s important that only one message, one policy and one team mission statement gets passed from the coaches to the players. There must be consistency from all directions. Just as you ask your team to play together and play as one, the coaches need to do the same.

I coach with the same philosophical standards as former Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson. Not everyone is treated equally but everyone is treated fairly. There are three ways to impress me: work hard, be enthusiastic and perform well. If players can do all three of those consistently, they are at the top of the scale. The great news is, two out of these three elements (effort and enthusiasm) are completely within a player’s control.

After cutting a player who fell asleep in a film session, Jimmy Johnson was asked what he would have done if star quarterback Troy Aikman fell asleep in a film session? He said he would have walked up to Troy, tapped him on the shoulder and whispered, “Wake up Troy.” Troy demonstrated the effort, enthusiasm and performance. The other individual had not. I communicate this philosophy to my team so they can understand how the scale works and how it is applied. This foundation of effort, enthusiasm and performance has now translated into the culture of our team.

Currently, I have a player on my team that has not been playing many minutes. In most games he does not play at all. He is routinely the hardest worker in practice and listens and asks good questions. He comes to the gym with a great disposition, always smiling. He does well in school and he understands his current role. He is closer to the top of the scale than the bottom even though he doesn’t play much. If he fell asleep in a film session, I would tap him on the shoulder.

Related: Listen to the podcast episode about Consistency.

Next item on the Basketball Coaching Roadmap is Honesty:

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