The Winning Feel
There’s something about winning – about winners – that separates them from the rest. Surely it’s not as simple as some have it and some don’t. But some have figured out how to win, and once you do you don’t forget it. You want to keep winning again and again and again.
It’s not something you turn on and off. It’s a 24/7 thing. And when it comes to hockey coaches, it’s fairly easy to measure. In wins and losses, but more importantly, in championships. Because to winners, there are no moral victories. You are either the last man standing and hoisting a trophy, or you lose. So, what is it that makes the difference?
To me, it’s having a deep, impactful memory of situations you’ve encountered and tactics you’ve seen coupled with the emotional intelligence to understand when to access and use these memories. Also, and maybe most importantly, understanding your process so well that you know when adjustments have to be made. Whether that be tactically or personnel wise by holding players accountable, winners know how to keep the train on the tracks and don’t let anything get in the way of the end goal. Along the same lines, winners know their teams better than anyone else, and avoid knee jerk reactions by understanding when they can survive a bump in the road. They don’t overreact; they do the right thing – over and over and over again.
You can only do this if you have a deep knowledge and a deep care for your team and the people who are a part of it.
Winners are prepared for any situation that arises within their team because they are in the battle with them. They know their people so well that they can sense moments within the team coming, and when they arrive they choose to be aware of how important they are. Even if it’s something that doesn’t need to be addressed in that moment, they take notice and don’t let anything slip through the cracks. When action does need to be taken, they’ve already processed this moment in their mind and know if it is a time to push or pull. A time to be hard or a time to be soft. It’s that winner’s feel that allows them to know that these moments are going to arise and when they do, to choose the correct remedy. Do this more times than not, and it sets you on the right path. Choose to ignore these moments, and you leave a lot of your success up to chance.
There was a great article in The Athletic on Jon Cooper, whose record speaks for itself in terms of being a winning hockey coach. ‘Success follows him’. ‘He wins everywhere he goes’. Yes – because he chooses to pay attention to moments within his team and uses a winner’s feel to navigate his way through. Five themes from the article:
1. Inspire. Have your player’s backs
Be in the fight with them. Having their back may mean holding them accountable. Do it through genuine care and inspire them to have your back.
2. Delegate
Have the humility to step back when necessary. Surround yourself with winners and let them do their work.
3. There’s no secret formula
Consistency is key. You can’t just turn it off and on and decide one day you want to win. You have to live it every single day.
4. Do your job. Don’t complain
Make each individual feel absolutely essential and important. Time and time again, teams need every single player to contribute to win a championship. Do not hesitate to put people in their correct roles.
5. Have the strength to adapt (when necessary)
Know your people. Put them in positions to succeed. When situations change, trust yourself to make the right decisions in the moment, because you can’t get that moment back. Reinforce or adjust – but don’t flinch.
There are no shortcuts to success. Winners know that. It’s exhausting. It burns you out. But there truly is no better feeling than winning, and to feel the joy of your people experiencing it together in that moment. It makes it all worth it - every single time.
In my short coaching career, I’ve had the honour of celebrating multiple championships with teams I’ve coached, but I have a lot of winning left to do. I can’t wait to find my next team to coach, earn their trust and start the championship process over again.