The Little Book of Coaching

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View books by Kenneth H. Blanchard, Don Shula.

Little Book with a lot of Knowledge - Rated
As soon as I saw the title I knew that I must buy it not only for myself but also for my son who is starting out on a career of as a coach.

Nick isn't the greatest reader in the world but as soon as he saw the layout he said that's more like a book for me with the clear statements on most facing pages.

It follows a tried and tested formula but this time he teams up with one of the greatest American Football Coaches Don Shula and they combine Coaching in sport with the lessons that are equally applicable to everyday life as well as the business world.

As we drove back from the U/18's Rugby League match today I pointed out the page on how Don had after an operation at 2:30pm on a ruptured Achilles still made it to training at 10:am the next day driving a golf cart! Just to get his coaching session in.

The quote on the facing page 'I don't know any other way to lead but by example'.

I turned to Nick after he had read it and laughed at the tail. 'Who does that remind you of?' I don't know came the reply?

'Well it's you I said. Didn't you turn out to coach the primary school kids the other week for Warrington Wires on crutches a week after you'd badly twisted your knee and could hardly stand up'.

There are loads more examples that reinforce the Blanchard principles in a sporting context. Don't be put of if you don't like sport it isn't rammed down your throat in any way.

As he sums up coaching 'It's about your believing in someone. And then doing whatever it takes to help that person be his or her best'. This book will help you on the road to achieving this ambition in many walks of life.

Not useful in real world with human beings - Rated
This is a lot like the One Minute Manager books - same kind of stuff. It may be useful if you're coaching dogs or chimpanzees but not humans. Some of the material might work on US employees but I couldn't see it working in the UK or Europe. Theres a lot of acronymns from American football and Baseball but nothing really new. I read half of it and that was 50% too much!

More child psychology applied to motivating morons ! - Rated
The first One Minute Manager book was good, for its time, but subsequent publications have simply distilled the same basic ideas - the application of established child psychology applied to idiotic, passive employees. This is the shortest of the one manager series and is really touching the bottom of the 'management cliche' barrell.

If you're into meaningless acronym, enjoy pelvic-thrusting American football examples and haven't a clue about Coaching, management practice or are low on the old common sense quotient - this book is for you!

If this book inspires you as a 'manager'- its time for a rapid career re-think - dreadful stuff!

In Praise of Pursuing Perfection! - Rated
Seldom has a book fallen so far short of the philosophy it espouses. Save your time and your money by reading another book on coaching.

"C.O.A.C.H." is the acronym that encompasses this book's brief content (probably less than 15,000 words):

C is for conviction ("Have a common vision and everyone will begin to move in the same direction." "Beliefs come true." " . . . a good coach provides the direction and concentration for performers' energies . . . ." "If you don't seek perfection, you can never reach excellence." "Lacking something to uplift their hearts when difficulties arise, their minds will not be equal to the task.")

O is for overlearning (" . . . get overprepared and help your people do the same." "Perfection happens only when the mechanics are automatic." "People generally respond well to leaders who have high expectations and genuine confidence in them.").

A is for audible-ready ("Prepare well with a plan -- then expect the unexpected and be ready to change that plan." "Audibles are . . . strategies your team knows about and has practiced thoroughly . . . .").

C is for consistency ("Respond predictably to performance." " . . . use redirect and praising more." "Mistakes cannot be tolerated.").

H is for honesty ("unquestionable integrity" "genuine and sincere" "Never ask your people to do more than you are willing to do." " . . . genuine faith [in God] is eminently practical.").

As a summary: "Who believed in you?" "How do you create that spark of self-recognition in others?" "It's about your believing in someone." "And then doing whatever it takes to help that person to his or her very best.")

The book itself offers little more than aphorisms. There are a few football examples. There are even fewer business examples. Examples from other contexts are almost nonexistent. This book would have been better with exercises for readers, questions to answer, and more relevant examples.

Personally, I disagree with the point that perfection should be the vision. Perfection could be a useful goal for an empowering vision, such as the one that the Salvation Army has.

The main benefit I got from the book was thinking through the way that companies fail to prepare for predictable alterations in circumstances, in the way that football teams do with audibles. Using scenarios to think through the future is relatively new to all but a few organizations. Clearly, this major lack will continue to harm organizations in the increasingly volatile social and economic climate of today.

If you have read The One Minute Manager and have seen and heard a top coach in action, you can skip this book.

Provide an example that others can easily understand and follow!

Make life easier for yourself - buy this book. - Rated
I simply cannot over emphasize the impact this book has had on me. Too many self-improvement books waste time and energy defining this and explaining that. This book cuts to the core elements of leadership, enabling you to improve the performance of those around you instantly. If you need to lead a team, read this book, and start leading - by example.