Who Wants To Get Better?

Welcome back to  NZ Coach Mag! To show you I haven't been completely idle since last December, I've compiled a bunch of stories this month which I believe will interest and challenge you. The first story speaks directly to  one  of the reasons people want to have a coach - they want to get better at what they do. Now, we obviously get this in the context of sportspeople and the relationship between coach and participant. And increasingly there is a greater understanding of the role of coach developers in helping coaches get better at what they do. But as the first story (a TEDTalk) illustrates, 'coaching' can help people in all walks of life get better, no matter how novice or expert they might be, or the context they are in. If you ever doubted the power of what coaches (or teachers, mentors, coach developers, trainers, parents, etc) can do when they 'coach' effectively, then watch this video. And when you've done that, check out the TEDxTalk 'The secret of a happy life'. Hey, coaches deserve to be happy, too! Spoiler alert: it's not a secret, it's simple, and it's affirming.  Ngá mihiBrett Reid, Community Coaching ConsultantQuote of the Month'As a matter of honour, if you show me better, I must change.' - Justin KeatingJustin Keating (1930-2009) was many things, including an Irish Labour Party politician, a senator, scientist, educator, television broadcaster, documentary filmmaker, and farmer.Want to get great at something, get a coach [video: 16 minutes]How do we improve in the face of complexity? Atul Gawande has studied this question with a surgeon's precision. He shares what he's found to be the key: having a good coach. [TedxTalk]What makes a good coach? [according to the kids]What should a coach care about most: winning, teaching, or giving everyone a chance to play? [Teenshealth]A bluffer's guide to non-linear pedagogyLearning within PE can be seen as a non-linear process. [drowningintheshallow]Constraints vs Isolated Practice [video: 3 minutes 40 seconds]A video comparing Constraints learning with isolated practice, using the theory of affordances to underpin justifications for favouring constraints.Is growth mindset bollocks? By David DidauLike everyone else, when I first came across Carol Dweck's theory of growth mindsets I was pretty psyched. [The Learning Spy]Leadership Lessons from Serial Winning CoachesSergio Lara Bercial explores the Driven Benevolence that sets the best coaches apart. [Leaders: Performance Institute]Winning at what cost? [video: 13 minutes]A look at the obsession of winning and the effect it is having on youth sports development.The Secrets to a Happy Life (From the Harvard Study) [video: 15min]What makes us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you want to invest in "the good life," where should you put your time and energy?[TEDxTalk]What is coaching? [Wayne Goldsmith video: 1 minute]'Talent' website (with lots of Podcasts)The Talent Equation - unleashing the potential of young people in sport. [thetalentequation]