by Mandy Brettigen, Selling for Coaches 

Hiring and managing your coaching staff may be the single most consequential aspect of coaching. 

Filling positions on a staff is like recruiting for your team: You recruit those who will embrace and thrive within your philosophy and who meet the needs of your team.  Managing people effectively means motivating and engaging them so they feel valued and important.

Once your staff is in place, there are some things you should do to make sure you are putting your staff in a position to be successful.   

Get to know them individually
Why is it important to understand your staff as individuals? Because it is important to them. Find out about their background, where they're from, families, pets hobbies, sports and their views on the world. Find out their philosophies and faiths, as well as how they think and how they feel.

Now I'm not suggesting you sit around all day “gazing into each others eyes”, or spend half the night on the phone telling each other your deepest secrets. I'm suggesting you do this slowly but surely over time.  Build up your understanding of this person and member of your coaching staff.  When those that you are working with know that you care about them and accept them, your working relationship will be much more productive.

Ask more questions than telling
The best way to really engage your staff is to ask them for their input to problems that need to be solved or with decisions that need to be made. You can pat them on the back for a job well done, and give them clear directions but if you never ask them for their advice or suggestions they will never feel fully engaged. Think strategically about which decisions you need to make and which you can recruit the help of your staff.

Manage expectations by making roles clear
An essential part of developing a powerful working staff is assessing each of their potential contributions to the team. Outline the expectations of each position on your staff in terms of job duties, professionalism, and personal conduct, so that everybody is aware of each other’s responsibilities.  Once they understand their specific roles and responsibilities, give them the freedom to do their job and trust that they will get their job done professionally. 

Communication
Whether this is accomplished through face-to-face meetings, emails, or phone calls, the channels of communication must be clear and effective.  Communication eliminates mistakes.  It needs to be ongoing, as well as honest and open. 

Challenge them!
Delegate real developmental challenges, not just the stuff you don’t want to do.  Challenge them to make something you are already doing better, or encourage them to come up with a new idea and let them run with it.  By challenging them with projects you will not only help to develop them into better coaches, you will engage them and foster broader ownership for the program.

To manage your staff effectively, you need to get inside their heads to understand what is important to them, what motivates them and what they like doing. Just like with recruiting, if you don't adjust your approach to each and every staff member on your team you will not be as successful as you want (and need) to be.

Allow your staff to do what they do best.  Make them feel like they are trusted, respected, and expected to utilize their talents for the betterment of the team.  Instilling trust and confidence in your staff gives them a sense of ownership, which then feeds their investment in the program, feelings of belonging and contributing, and a sense of urgency when needed.  In turn, your staff will rise to their potential and understand that their actions enhance the performance of the team and the program.        

For SFC Premium Members, you will be getting the next step in making all of this work: The seven actions you'll want to take to create a positive, empowering, motivational working and coaching environment for people on your college coaching staff.