Happy Valentines Day.
I was struck by a February 12 article in Inc. about Patrick Mahomes thoughts on what makes Head Coach Andy Reid such a great coach. Emotional Intelligence (better known as EQ) is at work big time here.
I often talk about what a coach is and is not. A coach listens, enlightens, inspires, brings positive energy, and helps uncover clarity for individuals, may they be players, coaches, administrators, business people and the list goes on.
The article refers to these 7 words from Patrick Mahomes that say it perfectly:
“He brings out the best in me”.
It’s like don’t try to fit a square peg into something round. Well Coach Reid employed just the opposite - Let Patrick be Patrick, not asking him to change for our system. Let someone with great creativity, athleticism, and spark do his thing. Sounds simple but it takes confidence, and a clear understanding of the role Coach Reid believes he plays.
The article states: “Great leaders bring out the best in their people”.
Coach Reid scores high on on my EQ scorecard: his self-awareness (awareness of himself and his feelings), self-regulation (manages his emotions), social awareness (understands others-Patrick and team) and social regulation (manages this relationship beautifully).
We as coaches bring out people’s best when we do two things.
We listen.
We ask questions. Thoughtful, open-ended ones.
In this case, it’s not about Patrick changing, it’s about bringing clarity to Coach Reid’s expectations, and how it influences his processes that ultimately help the team and the greater good.
A great coach and leader!
