I just watched a great documentary on the sports coaches on Netflix, named “The playbook: coach’s rule for life” (in italian “Parola di allenatore”), about five famous coaches, and a deep dive on their art.
📣 Disclaimer: a sport coach is totally different than a mental coach. BUT at a very high level they are very able to read their players’ mind, and it really makes the difference. A collaboration with a mental coach could bring an enormous added value, indeed.
❗ In particular I was impressed by Patrick Mouratoglou, the famous coach of Serena Williams.
He says “If you’re afraid to be fired you’re going to always tell the player what he/she wants to hear”.
🛡 It is exactly what we studied during our Cambridge University course with Keith Nelson, when debriefing the book “Coaching for behavioural change” by Marshall Goldsmith.
He says “if coaches become too concerned with being loved by their clients they may not provide honest feedback when it is needed”.
🎾 Patrick Mouratoglou (who has a great ability to read people) continues saying “instead let them know they are not alone, putting the responsibility on yourself”. We as mental coach have the same responsibility to let the coachee using us as a mirror, making them feeling they are never alone.
