{"id":21656,"date":"2023-12-05T10:22:56","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T10:22:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/?post_type=article&p=21656"},"modified":"2025-12-15T05:11:05","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T05:11:05","slug":"are-you-always-the-role-model-your-athletes-need","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/are-you-always-the-role-model-your-athletes-need\/","title":{"rendered":"Are you Always the Role Model your Athletes Need?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\n 5 Dec 2023 <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>Articles<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Are you Always the Role Model your Athletes Need?<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Category<\/div>\n Leadership & Culture<\/a> <\/div>\n
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https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/are-you-always-the-role-model-your-athletes-need\/<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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Iain Brunnschweiler explores the impact of our behaviour upon others and asks where we as leaders may have a more positive influence.<\/p>\n \n \n \n

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By Iain Brunnschweiler<\/h6>\n
An 8-year-old goalkeeper throws his hands up in the air and complains for the fifth time about a decision that the 14-year-old referee has made.<\/h6>\n

This demonstration of frustration is clear for all to see, despite his young age. To compound matters, the opposition coaches, having both prowled angrily around what passes for their technical area, pointing and shouting for the whole game, join in the protests against the teenager who is officiating the game, as a part of her development.<\/p>\n

This was an actual scene that I witnessed last weekend in an under-9s grassroots game.<\/p>\n

Behaviour can be contagious. It can spread like wildfire. And it isn\u2019t restricted to those directly in contact with you, especially if you are in a position of hierarchical influence.<\/p>\n

Now, I could write an article pointing out some of the clearly unhelpful adult behaviour that seems to emerge on the side lines of kid\u2019s sport, however, for the moment I will leave that for the governing bodies to address. The area of interest to me here is the impact of role modelling.<\/p>\n

There are two clear examples above of where individuals have been influenced by the role modelling of people of significance to them. The young goalkeeper will have seen and be mimicking the behaviours of one of the many keepers displaying this approach on TV. For the impressionable mind, that\u2019s what goalkeepers do. They complain about every decision. They run directly at the referee when any decision is made. They shout and throw their arms in the air in disgust.<\/p>\n

Secondly, the coaches on the side lines \u2013 probably two incredibly well-meaning parents who have committed their free time to support youth sport \u2013 are doing what they\u2019ve seen on TV, or live from the stands. Standing up for the whole game, allowing the emotion (attached to the score line of the clearly very important under-9s match) to spill over into behaviours they would never normally enact within the bounds of normal life. Shouting at the children within their care, shouting at the child who is learning to referee, whilst being accountable for the experience for all of these impressionable young folk.<\/p>\n

The point of real interest for me (and hopefully others who have the privilege and responsibility of being in a leadership role) is to consider which of our behaviours are contagious. How aware are we of the impact of our behaviour both directly upon others, and indirectly through the role modelling we demonstrate? What are the things we see in others around us that mimic our behaviour, and how comfortable are we about this? How can we raise awareness of these factors?<\/p>\n

One great way is opening yourself up to feedback. I received some highly valuable feedback in the past from a colleague, about getting the best out of my team. She generously pointed out a specific behaviour (one of my preferences) that she didn\u2019t think helped the team get in the appropriate state for a given meeting. It was brave of her to give me this feedback, and I valued it hugely. She skilfully raised awareness of a learned behaviour, and allowed me to consider how I responded. I committed that day to make a change.<\/p>\n

Organisations will often commit to a set of values, sometimes written on the walls or company documents. In many cases the words \u2018honesty\u2019 or \u2018integrity\u2019 might appear. Yet how often are people within the organisation encouraged to provide genuinely honest feedback to leaders around the impact of their behaviours? How often do we ask how we make others feel at work? I\u2019ve experienced some feedback-rich environments, and I\u2019ve experienced some that felt very unsafe. The former was certainly far more enjoyable to work in, and far more productive for all. Once awareness has been raised, one still has to consider whether they will take action or not.<\/p>\n

Some examples of contagious behaviour that I\u2019ve seen are:<\/p>\n

The workaholic<\/strong>. A key leader spends enormous lengths of time at the workplace. They are online even when they are home.<\/p>\n

The standards monitor<\/strong>. A key leader is incredibly hot on standards of clothing, office space, and punctuality. They will regularly call out colleagues who are not achieving the leader\u2019s expected level.<\/p>\n

The time-giver<\/strong>. A key leader regularly is seen taking time to speak to colleagues, getting to know them.<\/p>\n

The HIPPO<\/strong>. Within meetings, the Highest Paid Person\u2019s Opinion is always the decisive one. They shut down others in order to make the call, based on their perception.<\/p>\n

The joker<\/strong>. A key leader is regularly seen making jokes and having fun within the work place.<\/p>\n

The calming influence<\/strong>. A person of hierarchical position who demonstrates a calm, thoughtful and logical approach at times of pressurised decision-making.<\/p>\n

The above are just a few examples of contagious behaviours, and I will let you decide to what extent you perceive these attributes to be helpful, or a hindrance, within the workplace. This will no doubt be relative to the context and the complexity of the organisation and the people surrounding the leader.<\/p>\n

However, in my experience, the contagion is very clear and obvious. We see miniature versions of these behaviours permeating throughout the organisation. This becomes the culture.<\/p>\n

One successful and overt strategy to utilise role modelling within the work place that I have seen has been the deployment of experienced professional players within an U-21s team. Southampton and Brighton & Hove Albion Football Clubs have very successfully deployed Ollie Lancashire and Gary Dicker respectively into player-coach roles. These players, both in their 30s have role modelled the behaviours, approaches and attributes that a consistently high performing player possesses, all at very close proximity to the club\u2019s top youth talent. I\u2019m sure there will be other examples of this within sport, military and business.<\/p>\n

Behaviour can be contagious. I have, as most of us who are sporting parents, felt all of the emotions that come to the surface when a loved one is either doing well or doing badly in front of you. I have the urge to shout in support, to shout words of encouragement or at times words of despair. However, I remember watching a video that Arsenal FC pulled together where they interviewed young players about what they wanted to hear from their parents on the sidelines, and the messaging stuck with me. \u201cI don\u2019t want you shouting from the side of the pitch… I just like it when you clap when I\u2019ve done something well\u201d or words to that effect. I now have a strategy of holding my hands behind my back when I\u2019m watching my kids, to remind me of this video. This physical act helps me. Hopefully my side line approach would be perceived as helpful role modelling to other parents who want the best for their kids.<\/p>\n

Questions for leaders:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  • How aware are you of your level of contagion?<\/em><\/li>\n
  • Who are the people most affected by your behaviour?<\/em><\/li>\n
  • How helpful is your most contagious behaviour to the cause or purpose of the organisation or department?<\/em><\/li>\n
  • What could you differently that might have a more positive impact? <\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    So, if you are not happy with the behaviours you see in front of you, consider how you can act. As Ghandi once said, \u201cBe the change you wish to see in the world\u201d. Role modelling has a huge impact. If it is contagious enough through a TV screen to affect an 8-year-old and a couple of adults at a kids match, imagine the power of this in person.<\/p>\n

    And, by the way, if you know an adult who behaves like this in kids sport then please pass this article onto them! As I\u2019m 100% sure that coaching kids looks very different from coaching professionals.<\/p>\n

    Iain Brunnschweiler runs the Focus Performance Consultancy. He is a former professional cricketer, has authored two published books, and most recently was the Head of Technical Development at Southampton Football Club.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n

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