the coaches’ competences

I am often asked what are the psychological characteristics of a leader who works with groups striving for excellence, in this case the coach of a team or group of athletes. We know well that there is no ideal profile, no personality of the winner. However, we have learned from scientific data that there are skills and attitudes that a leader must know how to manifest consistently and consistently over time. I also learned a great deal from some world-class psychologists and experts in absolute performance such as John Salmela, Robert Nideffer, Peter Terry, Ken Ravizza.

At the end of the day, I identified by integrating data and professional experiences 10 dimensions that elite coaches seem to possess. It is not easy to practice them in daily professional life but those who want to approach this world should, in my opinion, check how much they are present in him/her.

Competitive: Individuals who are personally competitive, motivated and driven by the desire to give their best.
Motivavate: People who have a great deal of energy and enthusiasm. People who do not care about the number of hours they work, as long as they feel they are being challenged, making a positive contribution to the organization and moving in the direction of achieving their goals.
Responsibility/Initiative: These are people who have a high level of confidence in their ability to succeed and get the job done. They are coaches who are not afraid to take on new responsibilities and learn from their mistakes. Coaches who are not afraid to ask for help.
Balance between support and confrontation: These are people who are sensitive to interpersonal relationships, accurately read people’s situations and emotions (including their own), and are able to strike an appropriate balance between support and confrontation.
Verbal skills: These are people who are able to state thoughts and ideas clearly. They do not overload and/or confuse information. They are not afraid to speak up, ask questions and/or discuss issues both individually and in groups.
Listening skills: These are people who know when to speak and when to listen. Individuals who do not become defensive when challenged and/or confronted by others.
Open/non-defensive: They have a high level of self-awareness. They know what their strengths and weaknesses are, know how others see them, and take steps to maximize their strengths and minimize and/or overcome their weaknesses.
Team and relationship building: These are individuals who are able to establish good working relationships with others. Individuals who recognize and are able to leverage the contributions that each individual brings to the team. People with whom others enjoy working.
Performance under pressure and emotional control: They are able to recognize when emotions (their own or others’) get in the way of effective communication and have the skills to manage them.
Self-aware: They are coaches who know their own strengths and weaknesses and take responsibility for them. When faced with a problem, they do not become defensive, they take responsibility for their mistakes and failures and learn from them.