Question: Ryan, here in Slovakia, teaching hockey “tactics” seems much easier than teaching these issues of the heart that you often talk about. Many of us coaches here are having trouble engaging our next generation players. Ideas?
—Igor
Answer: Igor, the good news is that we are all on a journey to understand how to connect, energize and bring out the best performance in each generation.
Over the past 12 months, we have talked in these articles a number of times about the HUNGRY spirit and its importance towards our personal and cultural best. The hungry spirit is the sweet spot in our lives that is worthy of our attention and exploration.
Along with co-author Mike Johnston, I asked high performing athletes from around the world what being hungry meant to them in Simply the Best: Players on Performance. NHL star forward Jarome Iginla summed up what many of these athletes said: “I think it’s focus and determination.
We always want to be good, but when you’re hungry, it’s a whole other level of focus and determination. When I’m playing my best, it’s hard when the goals aren’t going in and when I want to score a goal for the team, but I really feel I’m playing my best when I’m driving and competing and not thinking about the outcome and just going. It’s another level of focus and determination.”
I have also asked thousands of players, clients and executives from around the world to describe the qualities of a 10 out of 10 hungry player. When we are HUNGRY and on top of our game here are some of the descriptors: fun, excited, focused, proactive, energized, communicative, supportive, challenger of the status quo, listener, informed, open synergistic courageous, tribal, winner, motivated, and passionate.
These qualities should be evident in our players cross-generationally as we recognize them to be in the HUNGRY ZONE.
If these indicators and/or qualities best describe HUNGRY then we now must do the hard experimental work of understanding when our players are in this state and understand what got them there.
The good news is if we are coaching Gen-Y or if Gen-X is managing Boomers we can all begin to recognize certain actions and attitudes that bring out our peoples best.
My favourite coaches always focused hard on the vital behaviours that create these HUNGRY states in players. Coaches across the Hockey World, this week let’s keep our HUNGRY eyes and ears open.
If you are having these types of interesting generational discussions around your team or in the work-place, have Ryan deliver his interactive Generational Leadership (one day) workshop to help your team implement specific generational behaviours that are guaranteed to energize your player’s performance. Call 1-866-728-3603 or visit www.ryanwalter.com/addingvalue.asp |