Coach or Critic...Which are you?

I played three years of college football…cough-cough…ok, I was on the team and practiced for three years. But I mean without those of us on scout team, the starting defense wouldn’t have been so good. Anyway, I remember doing a foot drill once, and I just couldn’t figure it out. Coach Juan, one of our wide-receiver coaches came over to help me.

After spending a couple minutes addressing what I was doing wrong and showing me how to fix it, he told me to give it a try. First try I nailed it. I’ll never forget him saying, “Wow, you’re so coachable.” At the time I remember thinking “heck yeah I am…what else you got for me.”

However, I now realize, I was only so coachable because he was a great coach. It was his patience and thorough instruction that helped me, not just my skill. He didn’t scream across the room telling me I was an idiot, or make me run laps cause I couldn’t figure it out. Instead, he took the time to come work directly with me. He didn’t broadcast my error to the entire team. And though I figured it out pretty quick after his help, I have no doubt he would have taken as much time as needed.

It might not be in a college football weight room, or any athletic arena for that matter, but I believe all of us have moments in our week where we have the option to be a coach or a critic. Maybe it’s in the office, in your marriage, with your kids, or even with your parents.

Critics give ratings, pick out flaws, and gossip about what you didn’t do right; Coaches lead, inform, adjust, and inspire.

I rarely see a critic leading people towards impact and action; whereas for a coach, it’s practically in their job description. In the meantime, be a coach.