How To Make Quick Decisions The Right Ones
In the heat of the moment, we have all made mistakes.
Back in 2008, Hull City football coach Phil Brown arguably made a huge error in judgement during a testing Premier League match against Manchester City.
His team had been enjoying a hot streak of form – but found themselves 4-0 down at half time!
Half time usually gives the coach time to talk to his players and make any tactical adjustments. If a team if playing badly, a few choice words may be said.
In the particular game, coach Brown made his players sit in a circle ON THE PITCH (like school children) to deliver his stern interval message. This is unheard of at that level and as you might have guessed, his career did not develop further after this incident.
In life, work and sport we are tested and sometimes have to make almost SNAP decisions. These decisions can end a relationship, curtail a career and lead to a coach losing the respect of the dressing room and thus their job becomes threatened.
So how can we fix this?
I initially qualified as a therapist in hypnotherapy and psychotherapy but a DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) intervention works best here.
Ok, let’s imagine that you are a rugby league coach and your team has been handed a pounding in the first half of the game. The half time whistle blows and your blood is boiling as you head to the dressing room to assess the damage.
Your captain has had a particularly rough time of the field. The player’s sit down and as you begin delivering your message you notice that your skipper is talking to another player. You don’t know what your captain or the payers in question are talking about but you have a decision to make.
- Do you ignore them and deliver your message?
- Do you politely give them the eyes in order to get their attention?
- Do you pick up of their seeming lack of respect and verbally tear into them. Making an example?
- Do you address the team as a whole and do this in an angry fashion?
- Do you calmy talk to the team to settle them before finishing with a motivational speech?
Five possibilities there and by no means is this list exhaustive. The key thing is that you have little time to make your mind up on how you are going to approach the problem.
You have to know yourself, know each individual on your team and also how the team generally perceives you as a person and coach.
The Venn diagram above shows three different recognized states of mind. We have our rational mind (think of this a little like a computer program). We have emotional mind which can be a coach’s worst enemy when they are in the trenches. (Think of a coach completely losing control in front of his players) and the mix of both these is a state or Nirvana for the coach – achieving a wise mind.
Let’s say you’re an ultra-rational coach who suppresses all emotions. Every decision is made on sense and facts. No decisions are made quickly. Imagine that coach is detailing with our rugby league scenario. What do you think are the chances of him turning things around in the second half of the game?
The polar opposite of this is the coach that is governed the emotional mind. This coach can typically lose themselves and do whatever “feels good” in the moment, often to the detriment of the team. They will almost always think and focus on emotions and can be equally reactive or defensive. When a rational thought enters their minds, they will often disregard it and go with their overriding emotional feelings. Sometimes this works perfectly but luck can play a big part here. There really is no plan or contingency. It’s fighting fire with fire.
Both these discussed states have some positive points but are generally outweighed by the negative.
In the middle of these two states of mind is the WISE mind. Achieving this state of mind is not initially easy and requires practice to get close to perfection. Should you do this, however, you WILL improve as a coach and here’s why…
Let’s once again go back to that scenario of the rugby league coach whose team were losing badly at half. His rational mind is failing to motivate and get a reaction from the team, while his opposite emotional mind may have the players fired up, it possible that this came above any tactical game plan. Going another score down would completely destroy this mindset and doubt would take over.
The WISE mind, however, nurtures emotions while acting rationally. It’s a balance between the two extreme states of mind and everything said or acted out is done so mindfully.
For example; The coach wants a reaction for the team but knows they must also control their emotions on the field and execute a plan with skill and desire. The WISE coach knows his players and in turn his players trust and understand him, his tactics and his approach to leadership. The wise coach has the best interest of the team at heart and is not governed by his ego. The wise coach is educated and knows when to apply pressure and when to offer support. The wise coach uses mindful language, as follows…
“Ok guys, grab a drink and take a seat (buying time to THINK). Well (blows out to show he’s right there with them), the good thing is that we know we can’t play as badly as that in the second half. (Here he is distinguishing that the first half is gone and the second half will be different).
He then stands still the in centre of the changing rooms. Making sure his is the focus of attention. He does this calmly and with a strong posture.
He now tries to rally his troops in a mindful way. He does which by explaining why he is saying what he is saying, so each individual can be totally clear about expectations.
On achieving WISE MIND, DBT creator Dr Marsha Linehan said: “It is where the person knows something to be true or valid. The wise mind is almost always quiet. It has a certain peace. It is where the person knows something in a centred way.”