I don’t watch football very often but last weekend was the Super Bowl and even I could not withstand the societal tug of that game. As I watched the two very angry looking brother coaches on the field wave their arms and jump up and down, I could not help but wonder, do these men coach? I mean do they follow the leadership style outlined by the situational approach? Let me explain or rather let Northouse explain, “situational leadership demands that leaders match their style to the competence and commitment of the subordinates.” (Northouse, 2013) This leadership approach lays out four general behavior based styles of leadership: Directing, Supporting, Delegating, and Coaching. I wanted to know, during a game, do NFL coaches coach? The answer may appear obvious but let’s walk through a game and the four situational styles to find out.
The flurry of activity before a football game is one of my favorite parts of the whole masculine ritual of contact sports to watch. The athletes strut around aimlessly, stretching and following some routine they’ve clearly mapped in their minds years ago. The coaches do much of the same. They look like players. They walk around the field, slapping rear ends and chatting, perhaps about the weather. Then they scurry back into the tunnels to their caves. Here the coach gives some inspirational speech designed to light the emotional fire smoldering in each player. There is no direction or stratagem being discussed. This is not coaching. This is supporting. “In this approach, the leader… uses supportive behaviors that bring out the employees’ skills around the task to be accomplished.” (Northouse, 2013) And rightfully so because right before the game, players don’t need direction, they know what is about to happen, they need support.
What about during the game? Well that is a complex question. In the moments before a play you can see the coaches feverishly yammering into their headsets with laminated paper sheets held to mask the movement of their mouths. These are the moments they make all the decisions. These are the moments they direct. The choice is made and it is passed down the line, no questions asked. This is not coaching. This is directing. “Using this style, a leader gives instructions about what and how goals are to be achieved by the subordinates.” (Northouse, 2013) Of course, this is why coaches make the big money. They get saddled with the game time calls that no one else wants to make. There is no time for committee. No chance to seek input. A play is chosen and the players must follow their leader.
Of course not everything goes to plan. Not everything is left to the coach. The players must have some ability to play. What if they see something the coach does not or cannot? Coaches must have a level of trust. They must give certain players the responsibly to make split second overrides to their call. They must delegate a sliver of their responsibility. And indeed they do. Northouse says delegation leadership style “lets subordinates take responsibility for getting the job done the way they see fit.” (Northouse, 2013) In that time when the coach cannot be on the field playing the game he cannot direct or support and he must let his players play the “way they see fit”.
But a coach must actually coach, right? Surely he does not use every other style of situational leadership except coaching. Is there some time during the game where the coach must make a directive decision and support the players simultaneously? Of course. What about half-time? That beautiful moment when Destiny’s Child reemerges and the light show blinds millions. According to Northouse coaching “requires that the leader involve himself or herself with subordinates by giving encouragement and soliciting input.” (Northouse, 2013) That is exactly what happens during the mid-game break. Coaches are rapidly working with players to change the game plan, to build or take the lead. Coaches are telling players to hang tough or pour it on or unleash hell or any of the innumerous motivational clich�s. Coaches coach during half time. That is when they are both directing and supporting.
So do football coaches coach? Yes, but they also Direct, Support, and Delegate.
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice (Sixth ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
NICHOLAS MARTIN LIDDELL says
I watch football often and have played the game almost my whole life. I believe that coaching football along with other sports requires a variety of different leadership skills to be successful. The coaches job is to prepare their players to the best of their ability to achieve the required result which of course to win. Since the coaches can’t go out on the field and play themselves, they need to lead their players as effectively as possible. I agree with you when you say that the pre-game rituals are very interesting to say the least. Coaches give their best speech to motivate their players before the game. This may require them to be loud and yell all sorts of stuff or be calm and straightforward with their players on what they need to do.
Every coach has their own special way of leading and motivating their players. The Super Bowl was very interesting being that the two coaches were brothers. John Harbaugh (Ravens Head Coach) I believe takes the more laid back approach out of the two brothers. He appears calm when things start to get out of hand during the game. On the other hand, Jim Harbaugh (49ers Head Coach) is very emotional at all times during the game. If there is a bad call or a touchdown, he reacts with a lot of passion and emotion. I found it very interesting the outcome of the game and how it correlated to each coaching and leadership style. Is the better coach the more laid back one or the one who is more emotional and outspoken? Overall great blog post, I found it very interesting to read and could easily relate to.
ERIC SCOTT ETTINGER says
I want to begin by saying that you did an excellent job of describing the situational approach and relating it to coaching in the NFL. I never thought of the situational approach being used in this context. Situational approach or leadership is made up of directive and supportive roles. You always hear anchors on ESPN talk about whether this coach is going to be the right fit for that team or whether a certain coach can be successful in the NFL. These anchors, whether they know it or not, are basically talking about whether a coach can match his leadership style to the competence and commitment of the followers.(Northouse 2013)
I feel that coaching in the NFL is very difficult but a coach can be successful if he focuses on the accomplishment of goals and relating these goals in the eyes of his players. Coaches have to conduct a balancing act between their directive and supportive behaviors. Although a coach mainly focuses on the directive behavior of leadership, he still has to remember that he has a high paid supporting staff around them. In order for a coach to be successful, he has to be a good listener when assuming the supportive role. I agree that a coach balances the directing, supporting and delegating roles during the game because of it’s fast pace and ever changing events. I also believe that the coach only applies the coaching role during halftime when a good pep talk is needed.