Coaches Lead by Example
“For what the leaders are, that, as a rule, will the men below them be.”
-Xenophon
“Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.”
-James Baldwin
- Listen to children
- Take them seriously
- Do not assume you’re smarter than a child simply because you’re older
- Say “thank you” to children when they do something for you or for others
- “Yes mam,” “no sir,” and the like are not beneath us because of our age
- Admit when you’ve made a mistake and admit it openly to them
- Apologize to children when you are wrong
- Model ANY and ALL behaviors you expect of them; do not assume they know how or that they should know better, SHOW them
- REMEMBER WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE A BEGINNER!!!!
- Accountability can be kind
- Authoritative accountability is unemotional and matter of fact; Cause and effect, consequentiality