Amazing Coach Story on RealSports

The Loyalty Group's June newsletter, thinktwice today, focuses on coaching. Basically, we all know that coaching is good for us (like taking vitamins or seeing the doctor for checkups)...but its something that's easily pushed aside for "higher priorities" in the workplace.

A few nights ago I saw an amazing story about a coach, Bev Kearney, of the University of Texas. Here is the story link and the blurb posted on the RealSports website.

Making Strides (Revisited)

There is no better example of hard work and dedication translating into success than Bev Kearney of the University of Texas. When REAL SPORTS first profiled the women's track coach in February 2004, Kearney was rehabilitating from injuries sustained in a car accident while continuing to coach from her hospital bed. Since then, she has led the Longhorns to both indoor and outdoor NCAA championships, as well as being named the 2005 National Women's Outdoor Coach of the Year for the fourth time. Accolades are nothing new for Kearney, who was a standout athlete in her own right, qualifying for the 1980 U.S. Olympic trials in the 200-meter dash. But for all her personal success, it has been her ability to lead others in the face of adversity that makes Kearney the embodiment of the word "coach." Correspondent Mary Carillo reunites with the remarkable mentor who continues to make strides.

Correspondent: Mary Carillo
Producer: Michael Sullivan

What struck me most about this sports story was how it paralleled the case for good coaching in today's business world. Many of us take coaching for granted. We often find excuses not to coach ("Not enough time." "Other real work to do.") or not to be coached ("I don't have time." "I already know what I'm supposed to do."). Kearney's story showed how powerful one coach can be - even from a wheelchair. Kearney coached her track team to victory without even attending her team's practices, because she was bedridden. She watched video tapes of their practices and meets, and later gave them coaching and feedback. Think of how many managers use the excuse for not coaching, "I don't have time to get in the field to see my people in action." Where there's a will, there's a way.

The story also showed how critical it is for individuals to WANT coaching. Everyone on Kearney's team looked up to her, believed in themselves and her, and wanted to be coached to win. There were no egos. There were no walls. Just openness and an common goal shared between coach and team.

There is a lesson for us all in the business world in this story. When coaching is done right - and both parties want to coach and be coached - almost anything can be accomplished. Imagine how much more innovative, productive and competitive our companies would be if we possessed this powerful coaching culture. What results could we achieve that we're not getting now?

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