This past weekend, I took it easy and watched a couple of documentaries. One of which was The Playbook. It’s a fascinating series on some of the most outstanding coaches in sports.
“Coaches with championship résumés share their personal rules for success in sports and life in this reflective and inspiring documentary series.“
—Official Netflix synopsis
If you’re a coach or a leader, you must watch it!
The first episode on Doc Rivers was a remarkable one for two reasons:
- Great coaches are humble: I didn’t know who Glenn Anton “Doc” Rivers was until this episode. After watching it, I started digging information on Doc, and it turns out he is one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. And the best part is that he’s do damn humble about it. Heck, the greatest coaches in Basketball’s sport are all humble — Phil Jackson, Don Nelson, Gregg Popovich, and Red Auerbach. Reading about these star coaches, particularly Phil Jackson, is worth a study!
- Their job isn’t to make players better: After watching countless sports documentaries (I find them the most educational, given that I’m a professional coach myself), I’ve realized a common theme running across all great coaches — they respect, admire, appreciate, and acknowledge their players. But most importantly, they don’t focus on making the players better but mold them into who they can become.
That last point is powerful because it clearly articulates who a coach is — both on and off the field. Someone who believes in you and your unique abilities. Someone who always strives to bring out the best in you by not changing you but coaching you to be the best version of yourself.
“I’m not going to coach you to who you are; I’m going to coach you to who you should be someday.
Doc Rivers