Didn't see that coming? Or should I?
Take home message
It is not the fittest that survive, but the most adaptable to change.
For Coaches
The ability to move on and look for the next opportunity in response to change is an important skill, for you, your colleagues and your athletes.
For Athletes
Your ability to adapt - on and off-field - is critical. Develop the skills to positively adapt to changing environments.
I’ve never had a change quite this dramatic. In the rooms, celebrating a win, 24 hours away from departing to Europe and we get told the trip is cancelled. I didn’t see that coming.
Naturally, feelings of disappointment. Missed competition and team learning in an Olympic year felt like a massive opportunity missed. However, the logic of the decision faultless and as the week, progressed clearly a correct decision. What a fast changing world we live in now. I didn’t see that coming. Should I have?
One of the aspects I believe is essential for coaches is considering the “what if’s”. What if the gym is overbooked - how will my session work? What if the bus or players are late? What if someone gets sick on the day of the game? What if it rains at training - will my drills still work? I try to think of “what if’s” and practice, or at least have a plan so that I am not stumbling for a solution. Sometimes the solution is something that I have done before and I can recall on experience to guide me. Was there a plan for a cancelled trip? Probably not. So what is the next best thing?
I wrote earlier this year about going with the flow. With regards to the cancelled tour, it was important for coaches and players to have their voice about how they felt with this missed opportunity and have that inevitable poor first training session when we were supposed to be in Europe, but instead in Perth. It was important for the coaching staff to rally quickly and come up with a very good Plan B, making the best of the situation whilst also knowing this plan could also change at any moment. It was important for this to be communicated as quickly as possible to the player group, to reassure everyone that from crisis comes opportunity. Given lemons, make lemonade.
So what lessons did I learn from this?
Players like playing, not training. I already have this front and centre but it really stood out during this moment as the chance of playing quality teams was taken away.
The chance to “grieve” or feel sad at missed opportunities is normal and we should allow that time and space for all team members to reflect and think. This is really important and I think I will be more mindful of this in the future. I think my younger version would likely have gotten up a player or two for a bad attitude at gym, without considering how they were feeling about such a decision. It might be a poor exam or trouble away from the field that is distracting a player at training and I need to be understanding of that and how they feel (and are allowed to feel) is impacting their training and I have to be supportive.
To restore confidence as quickly and openly as possible with a new plan.
That opportunity is everywhere. How can I think outside the norm and make the best of the new situation? I still need to progress.
The ability to respond is perhaps more important than the ability to plan? “Plans are worthless but planning is everything”. That line attributed to General Dwight Eisenhower (34th US President) refers to the situation you are planning for may not happen exactly as you planned, but in the process of planning you explore options and contingencies, identifying other solutions that may be more suitable as the situation unfolds.
Things change. Be adaptable