Jeff Van Gundy on Coaching Unfavorable Power Dynamics
Jeff Van Gundy on Coaching Unfavorable Power Dynamics
Although we won't be able to hear Jeff Van Gundy on NBA Finals broadcasts any longer with his recent departure from ESPN, you can still get your fill of his coaching wisdom from this excellent interview from his appearance on the Slappin' Glass podcast [Apple link | Spotify link].
One topic I loved hearing Van Gundy's perspective on was managing personalties when the power dynamics are not in a leader's favor. Van Gundy has remarked previously that, "coaching has never been valued less and blamed more," which is especially true in the NBA where coaches manage players who are making many times the salary of any coach.
Van Gundy on driving consensus with players vs. telling them what to do
“And I think the interesting thing about professional coaching, that I think everybody would benefit from, is when you don’t have the power dynamic in your favor. So you have to do a lot more convincing than you do telling. And I think that is incredibly helpful to you as a coach because you can drive consensus. You really have to have great reasons for why you do what you do."
Coaching at any level, especially at the highest levels, is about collaboration. There is a need to not only explain what to do, but also share the reason why you have people do the things they do. This not only helps build that collaboration, but can also be influential when leaders and coaches create the space for people on the team to be a part of the discussions that relate to the team. Even if creating that environment comes with conversations (or heated arguments) that challenge the leader, this can actually be healthy for a team.
Van Gundy on allowing for heated conversations and the value of confrontation
“I just felt like those interactions, especially when you have players you know care deeply about the result, and have great pride in their performance, you can have a give and take. It can actually even get heated at times."
But as Bill Parcells said…‘Confrontation clears the air.’ And I thought that’s so true. I think what’s worse than confrontation is not confronting an issue, so I think there should be clinics on stuff like that. ‘Problem-Solving in Coaching’ more-so than just X’s and O’s, because it’s hard.”
Coaching at any level, especially at the highest levels, is about collaboration. By being open to conflict and confrontation, leaders can take steps to creating both the environment for healthy conflict to take place, and one where leaders manage this unfavorable power dynamic through collaboration.
The whole episode is a really great listen for any coach or leader as Van Gundy dives into a number of interesting leadership topics, including how coaches have a tendency to overcomplicate problems that often have simple solutions, the key to player development, building resilience in your players, and the importance that adaptability plays in the success of today's players and coaches.
Check out the full episode on Slappin' Glass with Jeff Van Gundy on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
