What motivates you?

One of the hardest jobs for any leader or coach is motivating his/her group to perform at their best. Whether you are a manager, a parent, or a leader within your field it is likely that both parties will be motivated by a variety of reasons. These reasons will change with age, experience, work and other commitments.

In sport, if the athlete is not sufficiently motivated they will not train effectively or perform well in competitions. As a coach you should be aware that there are many different types of motivation:

Participation motivation - why athletes choose to play a particular sport.
Long-term motivation - commitment to training/practicing for your sport over an entire season or seasons.
Short-term motivation - building up for a particular competition or event.
Pre-game motivation - the ‘psych-up’ before the race or game.
Extrinsic motivation - e.g. for rewards, recognition, trips away, money.
Intrinsic motivation - e.g. for fun, health and fitness, making new friends.
 

A coach, or anyone in a leadership role, is in the ideal position to not only motivate an athlete but also influence them in a way that can affect their outlook on life. The type of influence will differ somewhat with each team member and will depend on the association and communication between the two. The personal make-up of the coach, such as personality, sense of humor, manner of dress, moral standards, leadership ability, reaction to stress and pressure will also affect the level of influence. It is, therefore, important that the coach project the best of themselves to their team.

Helen Johnson, winner of the 2008 Wattie’s Volunteer Coach of the Year Award, is a prime example of motivating her athletes to be their best. A coach of six Special Olympic sports, Helen is held in high regard with her athletes because she not only motivates her athletes, but coaches their parents to be their best as well.

One of the most obvious blocks to motivation, at least in sport, is when serious injuries occur. Much has been publicised over the injury plights of the Warriors, the Super 14 rugby teams and our own Manawatu Jets. The psychological reaction of any athlete to a sports injury is similar to a grief response and will often evolve a number of definite stages; including denial, anger and most commonly depression. The coaches role in motivation in this case is complex; make the athlete feel important, make it known they are still part of the team and build their self-esteem by setting new targets that can be reached.

Manawatu Jets player Ben Valentine, who recently snapped his achilles tendon during a basketball game says; “while as an athlete you know you should rely on your own intrinsic motivation, this becomes incredibly hard with a serious injury. A lot of self doubt comes creeping in and that’s where the role of the coach to help build your self esteem back up, becomes crucial.”

Here a few helpful hints to get you on your way to being a champion motivator. These tips can be applicable to all manner of scenarios, whether you are a manager, a parent, a leader or a coach:

1. If a coach hopes to motivate an athlete, then they must also be motivated. A positive attitude from the coach can affect and inspire the athlete while a poor attitude from the coach can ruin the performance of a whole team.

2. The coach should get to know the athlete well enough to know what it takes to motivate them. A coach who can adjust his or her personality and motivating traits to suit the personality of the athlete more often is much more successful in coaching than the coach who treats all of his team the same way.

3. Being organised is in itself a form of motivation for this induces guidance, leadership, and concern for the program by the coach.

4. Perhaps one of the most difficult traits for a coach to learn is self-control. A coach out of control certainly cannot expect controlled performances from their team.

5. Playing favorites or being inconsistent in relationships with athletes has prevented many coaches from being good motivators. If the coach cannot consistently enforce the rules or be up front with their team, then they cannot expect an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect.

Successful motivation techniques by a coach can reap many benefits for the team/individual athlete, and can make coaching an extremely rewarding activity. If you want to realise the benefits of coaching, contact Sport Manawatu on (06) 357 5349 and take the first step in entering the great world of coaching.