Reflecting on 'Decision Making'

Reflecting on ‘Decision Making'

In my opinion ‘Decision Making’ features much more now in terms of coaching. You hear it used in sessions, coach education & informal learning environments.

Being able to deliver practices that allow players to develop their ‘Decision Making’ skills & thought processes are widely accepted as a positive link to building cognitive, creative players.

However, I am penning this blog following witnessing a session recently with a group of under 11’s. The session could have been deemed to be active, fun and game related. Therefore it had a huge amount of positives. However, on questioning (& praising) the coach it transpired that he was working on the fact that he wanted to develop the players ‘decision making’ for match days. 

It was an informal observation & the first session I had seen so nothing further was discussed. I was fortunate to see the same team in a game situation some weeks later. Although the team were enthusiastic, & enjoyed the game they lost narrowly. 
Listening to the de-brief after: 

(Coach) Well played, I thought you did very well, however, what have we been working on recently? (Player) passing & Decision making (Coach) Good, & I really think we’re 
getting there….  

(Player) But when do I know if what I did was the right thing, I wasn’t always sure?

So, Question: how does the young player above determine what a good decision is?

The right decision? The better decision? In other words, learn about ‘what are good decisions in context’? 

This surely must come down to the planning, interventions & the environment set by the coach. If we return to the definition above: The cognitive process resulting in the selection of a belief or course of action among alternative possibilities. ’the belief’ is important.

To explain further: We should indeed deliver practices that are close to the game, where the ‘RANDOM’ & unexpected occur. But, for the players to learn what a ‘Good’ decision looks like, surely they must have some guidance on:

1) what we are looking to achieve 
2) Why the decision was a good one 
3) A chance to review the outcome & what happened?

(Chance for praise, confirmation & reflection)

The skill will come in letting the players play the game, enjoy the game, experiment within the game but being mindful of what the process is and what they are trying to achieve. Why this happened & why this didn’t happen. In other words, we must make mistakes in order to log learning but we must also know ‘why’ a chosen course of action was a ‘good course of action’. 

Some academic speak talks of ‘Decision Making’ as: 

Decision making follows perception & precedes action. It is vital that this takes place for a skilled performance. 

Decision Making (A Definition):- The cognitive process resulting in the selection of a belief or course of action among alternative possibilities.

Perception (A Definition):- The organisation, identification and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent & understand the environment.

There are a number of definitions & theories which argue the difference between the two, however the common ground that makes the subject so important in the development of our young players is that both perceptual skills & decision making are learned and developed through experience where we can therefore better determine the action to take in a given situation.

‘Doing the right thing at the right time’ is another statement often used, but if we take the simple theory that our decision making is improved via real experiences, being placed in an environment where we are encouraged to ‘TRY’ to ‘LEARN’ to ‘HONE’ and develop this then surely the way our practices are delivered is vital in developing these skills.

However, in summary, players will need to know the context to be able to understand what is the ‘preferred course of action’. 

Yes we need the ball rolling but we also need to remember, ‘why’….

Revisiting thoughts on 'feedback'

Feedback 

Feedback is vital when trying to establish a culture of learning and furthering development. However, whilst giving positive feedback may be relatively easy and indeed enjoyable, there are times when a mentor, tutor, friend or a peer-coach will need to feedback on areas of development, critique’ on performance, delivery, and maybe on the overall progress in general. 

Being prepared (to give or receive) constructive feedback is important since without addressing it correctly the feedback is unlikely to have effect we want to instigate the deeper reflection needed to move things forward and develop. We need to give & take to make it work!

To be useful, feedback needs to be given in an empathetic and supportive way and to include both the relevant positive areas & also the vital key areas to improve on from your observations. 

In providing feedback, remember to limit the amount of information, be succinct to what the receiver can use realistically, and make it relevant rather than just delivering the amount you would like to give. (A good analogy may be too much info at half time)!

Things to consider:

1. Invite the individual to self-reflect	‘What do you consider as your strengths & areas of development?’
2. Use positives-be positive	Try to include some (genuine & realistic) positive feedback. ‘I liked the great introduction, excellent’
3. Focus on the agreed, outcome not  the person. This will give  them chance to reflect.	‘The players seemed to enjoy the session;however, do you think they grasped the topic you set? Rather than: ’Í really don’t think the players understood that topic’.
4. Be clear, if possible, suggest ways to find support	‘The session plan is coming along really well. However,  didn’t I see you with some course reference material? That may help your planning further?’
5. Make sure ‘you’ own  & believe in the comments you are making	Use ‘I’ statements rather than ‘you’ statements, e.g.  ‘Sorry, I’m not sure I understand’ rather than ‘you don’t sound too sure on this here’.
6. Where practically possible,  don’t wait in delivering feedback	Immediate feedback is very valuable. If this is not possible, keep clear notes & feedback as  soon as you can. Set the scene if feeding back later, let them ‘gather’ their thoughts. Revisit.
7. Be aware that the  immediate response to your feedback could be negative/defensive. Why?	It may have been the way you delivered it? It may be you need to understand their thought process more. Be clear that your feedback is understood.

One of the key areas to remember is that although you are delivering the feedback you may also need to evaluate your delivery of it, how you are perceived in doing so and how effective you were in delivering on the key aspects?

Evaluate this from the response from the recipient, but importantly, be open to feedback yourself, be open to the key areas you have to improve on. Feedback after all is the fuel for our further development.

Developing Self-directed Learning

Self-directed learning is based upon several concepts. Firstly, that individuals have the capacity to engage in and develop self-directed learning skills.  Secondly, the learners can (and therefore should) take greater control over their learning experiences.  Thirdly, the self-directed learning ethos is utilised from one environment to another.  Therefore, the Mentors role is to assist the coach in developing self-directed learning skills by providing direction and support based on the needs of the coach 

and reflecting the needs of the players in their care.

One of the fundamental principles for the mentor to understand is that every coach is different therefore their mentees will have differing capacities to self-direct their own learning.  Also, based on their current experience their ability to self-direct may vary greatly with different types of activities.  For example, a coach may be very skilled at self-directed learning in planning but may require a greater degree of direction in developing their intervention techniques.

However, it is important to understand that self-directed learning is a skill that can be supported and developed. It may seem strange, but the coach mentor is working to make themselves redundant in many ways.

Early on in the relationship & whilst Rapport is being established, the mentor may well be seen as the expert to be followed, however, by slowly introducing multiple areas and ways to instigate learning the coach/mentee will start to make the transition to being more independent learner.  The skill here is to admit and share the areas of development you have yourself. By responding to the mentees ideas in an area they feel comfortable, and you wish to know more, you are not merely developing self-esteem but a positive environment to develop learning. 

Given that coaches at each stage have different needs, it is paramount that the mentor helps assess the learning stage of their coach and tailor the methods to best facilitate the coaches learning at each stage.  

Instilling self-directed learning is difficult to put into stages, however as a guide:

Stage 1, the mentor must gain the respect of the mentee by building rapport and demonstrating that although he/she has subject knowledge and experience, that they are also really open to developing themselves. Mentees in this early stage will also benefit from clear learning objectives, based around their needs.

Moving into stage 2 the mentee will often be more highly motivated to learn as long as the support and input from the mentor has a large degree of self-learning and has experienced success with trying new methods. This should ignite some curiosity within the coach as to, what more can I learn/do?  

Stage 3, learning may focus on the mentor looking to develop the coaches reflective thinking & practice. If the mentee/coach starts to reflect on the journey, the outcomes and what has worked well/or where develop is still needed, they are more likely to take responsibility for their own learning and look for the tools to help them do so. 

The mentor can then ‘guide’ as to different mediums to direct self-learning. Books, video, observation etc

At this stage the mentor should look to be a facilitator to this learning.

If there is a stage four, this could link to them being an autonomous coach. A stated earlier, you may then be working to step away, and support when or where needed or, asked. 

You then become just one of the coaches self-directed learning avenues.

Time for a new mentee?

A Reflection on learning styles - 'Coaches not just players'- China 14

I have just returned from a 12 day visit to China (Shanghai) where along with 5 other FA colleagues I delivered on the FA International Foundation Coaching Award.

We had 3 classes split to accommodate 72 teachers: some new to teaching at the primary age group, & some at the secondary age with 25 years teaching experience.

The teachers spoke very little (or no) English.
Each group were assigned 2 interpreters.
In essence, the award contains relevant content from 2 or 3 FA courses.

Scene set: the experience for all was enjoyable, challenging yet, rewarding.
However, the stark reality was my coaching toolbox-tutor toolbox was raided, reviewed, changed, upgraded & utilised frequently.

Example: explaining the practice spectrum from FAY Award Module 2 to twenty four Chinese speaking teachers. Delivering Space Recognition practically to the same group?

Good as the interpreters were, things don't always translate such as the STEP principle or, directly, intrinsic motivation in terminology. So we had to utilise in a major degree: VISUAL learning, DEMONSTRATION, REFLECTIVE practice to gauge their understanding.
'Kinaesthetic means to learn, visual means to reflect'.

Many power points were replaced with group work, flip charts and giving the candidates ownership can you juggle? Then teach three others? Learning in practice; the why & how.
However, in the main & culturally, these candidates (teachers) teach in the auditory spectrum. Tell, listen, collate. So a learning cycle for all including tutors: connect-activate-demonstrate-consolidate.

Group discussion & decision making, opinion, learning by mistakes were are all relatively new concepts. Big hits over the course were: white boards, visual set ups, flip chart reflection, IMovies from each day, group ownership, group discussions.

So, The message? Do not take this for granted! The power of delivering in all styles was starkly evident and this was to teachers! If you Mentor or Coach Educate, or buddy coach? Remember, we all learn in different ways, & at differing speeds 'it's not just the players that are people' your teaching is always and should always be about 'them' and your challenge is to facilitate this..

Where should confidence 'sit' for Grassroots Coaches?

Confidence
What is it, improve it, use it to develop..... Others.

Confidence is a word we hear used a great deal, in my opinion sometimes loosely as a perceived 'OK' word to cover some context. However, can we define it?

Is it simply a positive mental attitude, a strong self belief?

In essence it is having a belief that you can quite adequately perform the given task to hand or indeed behave or react in a given way competently. Other definitions mention such words as:
Trust, faith, credence and conviction.

So what may be important to understand for grassroots coaches?
If in a football sense we take - self confidence as our belief in our ability to perform certain tasks then this becomes a really important area for consideration. What as a coach are you actually trying to 'achieve'? The transference of your perceived confidence will have a direct impact on your players, after all it is fine to have belief in your own ability, however the vehicle for this and any 'success' are
the players in your care.

Being confident is key in you potentially portraying a positive demeanour, it may make you a little calmer, it may make you a touch more measured. It may allow you to stay focused and controlled.
It may help you set a positive environment and ensure good delivery. However, as we all know the confident coach treads a fine line with perceived arrogance, be very careful as a coach as to how you are perceived outside of 'self', by peers, players & parents.

If we agree that confidence is an important area for a coach it must be equally important for the players. Taking some of the words above; trust, faith, credence, these in feel transfer equally well to the players. Therefore having the confidence and ability to build confidence is the key and true test.
Individual confidence varies immensely; a player may be confident in dribbling, but not in passing. A Goalkeeper may have confidence in shot stopping but not in distribution. Therefore knowing that a great save may lead to distributing the ball may have an longer term impact on their confidence in shot stopping?

Therefore if you can be supportive and Instil your confidence in them then your positive belief and confidence will act as a powerful conduit. Merely praising them appropriately for what they are already competent in acts as good practice for reinforcement. However catching them 'Doing something good' as they will invariably do on occasions in an area they need more confidence in is a powerful tool.Be specific, not to frequent, and the player will at the very least think that this is an area they can confidently try again, gain confidence & more experience in.

This for me is where a confident coach who breeds confidence in their players, understands it's about them, understands that this is where their own development lies is the 'confident' coach.
In summary, personal improvement will help sustain and build confidence and self esteem.

Back to the beginning, reflect on how you 'portray' your confident demeanour. If you are only confident because you win, how will you react when you eventually lose? How will you instil belief  in your players when they lose theirs or come across a more difficult challenge?

Remember, it's about the players. Remember, confidence can be managed & therefore developed & positive and specific praise will help this development. 'Catch them doing something good' support them in trying to get better on and off the field. reaffirm your 'Confidence' in them.

S-implementoring- understanding the coaches

Who are the coaches you work with as a mentor?

As stated in a previous blog, it is not easy to define a perfect mentoring model. Indeed, as long as you understand the parameters, measure-ables & that the needs are set with the 'mentee' firmly at the forefront of your mind, you are probably in a good place to start.

However, it is vital that to build the rapport for the relationship to flourish & have longevity, it is important that you understand the profile of the coaches you will be working with.

Coach Profiles

Parent Coach-involved (via own child's team)
A large majority of grassroots coaches get involved this way.
Understanding this and that often, it was originally because they were asked/encouraged or that no one else would, will help you form your approach, this is key and important.

Remaining Coach-involved (child moved on)
This coach may have started as a parent but for several reasons the child is no longer in the team.
The fact they have chosen to stay in coaching says a bit about commitment and their potential willingness to develop.

Community Coach-involved (weekend training sessions only)
Coaches who support & enjoy the development of the younger age groups on a community level.
They assist and do a Stirling job with the young players present supporting the more experienced coaches.

Stepping Stone Coach-involved (To gain/progress within coaching)
Individuals who join the environment from outside, need access to players for practice/help them achieve qualifications and experience for their progression or maybe career pathway.

Student/young leader Coach-involved (still plays)
Has taken a school or junior award in the intro to young leadership and coaching, however their priority although keen, is to play.

Leader Coach
Has taken on further roles, their level 2 or higher, has looked into/taken their steps on the youth award modules. They see the bigger picture in developing the club. Could they instil a legacy in the club from your mentoring?

There are of course others and this is not trying to 'label' coaches or people. What it does demonstrate is that the coaches motivations to their role & therefore their commitment to any mentoring relationship is crucial. As a mentor it is imperative you understand the person, where THEY require support and identify 'where' you may help.

So as a coach mentor, don't just see 'coach' see a person who has other priorities and drivers, commitments and interests.

Know the coach, know the environment support the development.

S-Implementor-ing (Reflection, Review & Noticing)

S-Implementor-ing (Reflection, Review & Noticing)

In my last two blogs I looked at the basis of what mentoring may be & the importance of building a positive rapport and relationship from the start.

Once the above is established identifying the coaches 'need' is important. It's also key to remember although the learning, communication & process is a two way thing, it is vital that the relationship is about the coach & how the mentor can help. There are hundreds of tools/training needs analysis forms etc available and many are excellent. However, referring back to my 1st blog on 'Simplifying not Amplifying'
simple usually works well:

• what does the coach perceive to be their strengths & their areas of development?
• Do these dovetail with your own experiences? (Remember, Rapport)
• How & where can I help?

Don't just act on 'OK' we seem to have found your weakness?! That doesn't help anyone.
The coaches perception of where they need help and the reasons why will define the support.
Firstly, why does the coach consider they need some support in this area? This would be a great way to gauge the why's and where's how's and next steps.

For example: my players don't listen? Seems commonplace, seems obvious:
However, the coach mentors art is in ' the art of noticing'..
By observing the coach why are the players not understanding? is it the delivery/communication, are the players simply 'not' receiving the information? Quite often coaches will see players lack of response as the players not listening? Think, did you listen intently to every teacher at school? No?

Others were more engaging than others? So maybe the teacher needs to reflect on how they can effect the group more.

The key in this example is in then spinning this on its head: how, does the mentor communicate this to the mentee & how is this then received? What did you notice? This is what I observed.

Reflect & review and then maybe in this scenario, the mentor demonstrates whilst the coach looks at 'the art of noticing' how the group receive the mentors information: who does - does not?

In Summary: once the relationship and understanding is built a learning environment will follow;
Observe, feedback, discuss, deliver, observe....... Notice. Develop, challenge.