Can what you’re doing for them today compound into value you can’t put a price tag on 20 years from now?
“Great coaches provide athletes with tangible and intangible value.
Tangible usually takes place today & tomorrow. It’s what you can give them that they can hold onto right now.
The intangible value typically sprouts when their time with you is finished.
It’s the undying impact.”
-Ray Zingler on Twitter
The greatest aspect of coaching, in my opinion, is the ability to give lasting, compounding value to those you are blessed to coach.
I can remember back to my childhood with sport coaches growing up and the value they did or didn’t provide me.
But even with the ones who weren’t very valuable, I was still able to take something from them, even if it was “what not to do” or “how not to act.”
The great coaches I had though? Wow. To this day, over a decade removed from playing sports for these coaches, I’d still run through a wall for them. I’d do anything for them at the drop of a hat, no questions asked.
They had that much impact on me.
And if I think about it critically, they are still making a difference.
It’s because great coaches provide not only tangible value, but intangible value.
Think of tangible value in the context of learning how to better swing a bat or understanding scheme on the field.
Tangible value is the “physical” stuff that Coaches are giving our kids right now, like literally today.
That stuff is valuable because it improves their performance in the day-to-day application of whatever it is that they are doing.
Again, valuable.
But I think where the great coaches really separate themselves from the poor, average, or good ones, is in their ability to not only understand the importance of, but adjust their micro behaviors to ensure they give themselves a chance to provide intangible value to their athletes.
Intangible value is much harder to provide for two reasons.
1) You can’t see it.
2) It isn’t immediate.
It’s delayed, but highly valuable ROI.
Intangible value manifests itself further down the line via compounding value from the lessons learned during the “tangible value period.”
The discipline, the work ethic, the showing up on time, treating others well, always following up, always following through, etc.
Are you showing up on time because that Coach you had back in the day led by example and never showed up late?
Are you going the extra mile in your career because you saw your HS Coach doing the same thing, everyday?
Pay attention to the value potential, if you find a great coach, they are worth their weight in gold.
