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Recommended reading

How Your Training Sessions Can Better Promote Athlete Learning

The State of Play Series: Coaching the Modern Athlete

The Power of Coaching Cues

Framing the topic

An interesting thread of discussion amongst our Leaders Performance Institute members has been evolutions in the daily coaching environment, particularly pertaining to session design. The reasons for this stem from the need to create stimulating sessions for the modern athlete or learner. During this virtual roundtable, we explored some of the focuses across different environments.

Discussion points

What are some of the things you are prioritising in relation to your current culture and why?

  • We are heavily looking at athlete empowerment. Within the training week, with some constraints, we have allowed the athletes to choose what they want to do on that particular day. The coaches provided some structure which aligned to the wider programme they are working towards, however the manner in which they achieve those outcomes and the makeup of skill elements was left up to the athlete.
  • Considerations for coaches were: will the athletes pick the easy option? It was trialled over a six-week period and we did find that it helped support creativity, a number of the athletes chose things that we wouldn’t necessarily have pigeon-holed for them and it created good conversations. Athletes did also seem to enjoy those sessions a bit more during the week. A question moving forward is whether this should be strategised as part of the wider session design.
  • Co-designing sessions with athletes carries a lot of merit. Providing constraints and allowing conversations to extend from there worked well, it also allowed for collaboration around sessions the following week.
  • Some of the trends from this trial were that some of the less-dedicated athletes chose easier practices than the coaches would typically have picked for them. The athletes who are more dedicated and self-reliant on the whole chose what the coaches would have selected for them. Over time, the athletes who chose easier practices moved up to a level where the coach would have wanted them to be. It was also interesting to see younger athletes pick harder activities with a higher skill level which they weren’t ready for, but it generated interesting conversations for the coaches. A challenging process for the coaches was to not judge too much and let the choices just materialise.
  • Anecdotally within the coaching sphere, a lot of coaches and teams are looking at providing more athlete ownership and exploring ideas around this, but are trying to work out how to do it and what the trade-offs are. There’s certainly a quest for co-design and co-construction.
  • A good question for coaches to ask themselves is ‘what is the reason why we are doing this type of practice design?’ Often it will align to the athletes taking more ownership of their training (self-determination theory of motivation), which increases the knowledge base of the athlete. A lot of sports have been coach-driven for a long time, which has led to some real negative impacts – changing the culture of the authoritarian coach, whilst also helping to support and develop athletes for life through different life skills.
  • An interesting observation from our coaching environment when moving away from a coach-led environment was that a lot of the athletes were lost and weren’t sure what to do. This is an interesting challenge for coaches in how to support them if you are considering this change. We saw friction between what the players wanted in terms of their own style of play in the sessions and preparing for the opponents’ style. A question we asked is how much of your own style is too much?
  • Our club from 1st team level down to the Under 18s has a playbook – it’s focused on the ‘pressing style’ of the team. There’s definitely a balance to be had around your own style, but then finding problem-solving scenarios with how the opposition will set up.
  • Within the pathway, it’s much more of a problem-solving mentality. We have co-coaches within our curriculum. If we are focused on a specific part of play, one coach will focus on that, whilst the other works on the counter elements. This has been very successful, but the part we are wrestling with is how aligned is it to how we will play on a match day (the counter elements designed by the co-coach maybe different to how the opposition play).
  • Keeping athletes aligned and part of the solution is hugely impactful. If coaches believe in a certain way to positively influence a game-scenario but the players don’t believe in it or feel a part of the process, they won’t commit to the full extent they might do. Ownership and empowerment comes from ideas they put forward. Previously we used to just use the senior pros, but it has now been opened up to the whole squad. It’s important as coaches to remember that we have to meet the athletes where they are.
  • What should we do as coaches with the athletes who aren’t too bothered about taking ownership? Do we force them to engage in this way or do we let them engage in the way they want to? We were hoping there would be some social calibration of behaviours but it hasn’t materialised as we would have thought.
  • Something to be aware of with player ownership and, in particular, leadership groups, is that they don’t become a militant group where they hammer people – if coaches give players the ownership to take more responsibility it can’t swing so far the other way that it creates a toxic environment. Player empowerment can’t swing so far that the coach then can’t do anything without the say-so of the athlete group – it’s proving really complex for coaching at the elite end of the game. When does empowerment lead to entitlement and control?
  • We are about to witness a sea-change in terms of our environment as we are evolving the physical training environment – there’s going to be a lot of change for the players, so how we as coaches are managing that is important. We’re looking at identifying leaders within the group to support with this transition.
  • We’ve spent some time looking at player engagement and what they want from a session. We got the players to draw up sessions and then we looked for the trends. All of the sessions had elements such as goals, finishing, opposition etc. Around 80 percent revolved around the individual or person and how they could get success or how they could work on particular aspects of their game or a ‘super-strength’.
  • Within our individual development plans, we have put them into moments in the game – moments they really thrive at or need to improve at. In practices we now make it relevant to the curriculum, it will always have goals, opposition and will be explicitly stressed before the session ‘this is how we are working on your plan within this session’ to each player. We are making individual development plans more game-based with ‘add-ins’ from the coaches. One of our former members of staff told us how Disney used to have a concept where you had to add – it’s easy to feedback and criticise, but what would you add to make it better?
  • In terms of other evolutions within our session design and practice, we are increasing the use of video – it is integrated into the daily training environment. If it is a practice where the athlete is not being heavily coached and instead the athletes are watching themselves, they can relay their kinaesthetic feelings with what they can see with their eyes. If it is a technical session, the coaches can coach through the video as well.

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The most effective leaders in a VUCA world do not chase certainty. They provide clarity amid ambiguity, empower others to act and remain anchored to a clear purpose. This Leaders Performance Institute roundtable explores the leadership practices, strategic approaches and critical skills that help organisations respond, re-plan and rebuild in the face of constant disruption.

Held in April 2020, this roundtable reflected a period of extraordinary uncertainty.

The UK was in the early weeks of its first Covid-19 lockdown, while organisations across the US and Europe were adapting to widespread restrictions, remote working and an unfolding public health crisis. For participants, the challenge was to respond to disruption and lead through it without losing sight of long-term purpose and performance.

While the circumstances were unprecedented, participants agreed that the challenge facing leaders was clear: provide clarity, maintain trust and help people move forward despite uncertainty.

Leading through uncertainty

Participants were united by a common challenge: how to lead effectively in a world characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA). Discussion centred on adaptive leadership, strategic planning and organisational resilience, with a particular focus on the leadership behaviours that have emerged during periods of disruption.

Many were grappling with similar questions. How can organisations adapt while remaining true to their purpose? What leadership approaches are proving effective? And how can today’s responses be translated into long-term strategies that strengthen organisations for the future?

A recurring theme was the need to move beyond traditional leadership models. Participants noted that uncertainty demands a different mindset, one that values adaptability, learning and collaboration over control and certainty.

Leadership in a VUCA world

One of the strongest themes to emerge was the importance of vulnerability. Effective leaders recognise what they do not know, actively seek alternative perspectives and create environments in which others can contribute solutions.

Rather than positioning themselves as the source of all answers, successful leaders foster followership. In uncertain circumstances, people are more likely to commit to a journey when they understand the direction of travel and trust those leading them. Clear communication and a shared sense of purpose become more valuable than certainty.

Participants also highlighted the shift from command-and-control leadership towards empowerment. The pandemic accelerated this change, forcing leaders to delegate authority and trust individuals to take initiative. Many felt this greater autonomy had unlocked creativity and ownership that should not be lost as organisations return to more stable conditions.

Several contributors contrasted two distinct leadership responses to uncertainty. Some leaders become paralysed by incomplete information, delaying decisions while seeking clarity that may never arrive. Others accept uncertainty as a permanent feature of the environment, gather the best information available and act decisively while remaining open to adjustment.

Values and vision were identified as critical anchors during turbulent periods. While priorities may shift in response to changing circumstances, organisations benefit from remaining connected to their core purpose. Leaders should therefore focus on translating enduring values into behaviours that remain relevant in the current environment.

Strategic responses to disruption

Discussion also examined how organisations can respond strategically to uncertainty.

Participants stressed the importance of distinguishing between what is known, what is unknown and which unknowns are most critical to understand. This clarity helps leaders focus their efforts and avoid becoming overwhelmed by complexity.

A widely discussed framework was the three-phase model of ‘respond, re-plan and rebuild’. While many organisations naturally focus their attention on immediate response, participants argued that leaders must simultaneously prepare for future phases. Organisations that emerge strongest from disruption are those that use the present moment to redesign, rather than simply recover.

The group also reflected on the opportunity disruption provides to challenge long-held assumptions. Participants suggested that certain “sacred cows” may no longer serve organisations in a rapidly changing environment. The challenge for leaders is identifying what is truly essential and what can be reimagined.

Another key recommendation was the deliberate creation of “messy networks” that bring together diverse perspectives. These informal feedback loops help leaders test assumptions, gather intelligence and maintain connection with their people during periods of rapid change.

Five traps that slow organisational response

Participants identified five common pitfalls that can prevent organisations from adapting effectively:

  1. Being caught off guard and overwhelmed by events.
  2. Allowing emotions to dictate decision-making.
  3. Operating from outdated mental models.
  4. Relying on overly directive leadership approaches.
  5. Waiting for the perfect plan before taking action.

Each trap reflects a desire for certainty at precisely the moment when flexibility and learning are most needed.

Five skills leaders must master

To navigate uncertainty more effectively, participants highlighted five critical leadership capabilities:

1. Choosing a response

Leaders may not control events, but they can control how they respond. Deliberate action is more effective than reactive behaviour.

2. Situational humility

Effective leaders listen deeply, invite diverse viewpoints and remain open to changing their minds as new information emerges.

3. Sense-making

People look to leaders to help interpret uncertainty. Creating a coherent narrative allows organisations to move forward with confidence despite imperfect information.

4. Empowered leadership

Empowering others to act encourages initiative, ownership and faster adaptation.

5. Facilitating learning

Learning must occur in real time. Leaders should create systems that capture insights, encourage experimentation and enable continuous improvement.

Key takeaways

The discussion concluded with several practical principles for leaders navigating uncertainty:

  • Explore multiple future scenarios rather than relying on a single forecast.
  • Maintain a clear vision of the future while remaining flexible in execution.
  • Identify critical priorities and take consistent action towards them.
  • Create space to observe, reflect and make informed decisions rather than reacting impulsively.

Ultimately, participants agreed that leadership in a VUCA world is not about predicting the future with greater accuracy. It is about building the adaptability, resilience and collective capacity needed to thrive regardless of what comes next.