“Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but one who hates correction is stupid.”
– Proverbs 12:1

Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden once said, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that separates the great coaches from the average ones.” I have had the privilege of playing for and working with some great coaches over my forty years in the profession. Much of my personal coaching style has been shaped by the lessons I’ve learned in meeting rooms and on the field with these mentors. Over the past five years however, I have been challenged to rethink my approach to coaching and I love the results. I have learned that giving my athletes what they need is much more important than getting what I need. I have learned the importance of being a relational coach. I now understand that coaching is much more than the first-dimension knowledge of X’s and O’s and game planning. Coaching is about capturing the hearts of my athletes.

Jesus was a life-changing teacher! What He was able to accomplish with His team of twelve disciples is truly amazing. In the brief span of three years, Jesus transformed these men from average believers into followers who were willing to die for their beliefs and their coach. Along the way they learned that living in the first-dimension of Jewish law was not enough. They learned that it’s much more important to serve the needs of others than to be self-serving. They learned the powerful techniques of capturing hearts and souls and became transformational leaders. Would you consider yourself coachable or are you set in your ways? Are there some things you need to change about your approach to coaching?
 
Heavenly Father, You have called me to coach. If there are changes I need to make in order to be a better coach, give me the desire and the courage to make those changes. Amen.