JOHN MAXWELL ON UNDERSTANDING THE LEVEL OF YOUR PLAYERS

One of the most common mistakes a coach can make is to misjudge the level of one of his players. If the leader doesn’t work with each player according to where he is in his development, the player won’t produce, succeed, and develop. According to management consultant Ken Blanchard, all team members fit into one of four categories with regard to the type of leadership they need:

1. Players who need direction: [Players who need direction don’t really know what to do or how to do it. At this stage in their development, you need to instruct them every step of the way. Anything these rookie players produce will be essentially what you do through them because they aren’t capable of working independently.]

2. Players who need coaching: [At some point, a rookie starts being able to do more of the job on his own. He becomes more independent but still relies on you for direction and feedback. The two of you will be working in partnership.]

3. Players who need support: [At this level, the player is able to work without your direction. But he will still require your support and encouragement.]

4. Players to whom you delegate: [At this stage the player can be given a task, and you can be confident that it will be done. This player not only needs you to lead. Provide vision on the front end and accountability on the back end, and the person will multiply your efforts toward success.]

From "Developing the Leaders Around You" by John C. Maxwell