A Checklist for Responding to Team Troubles

Before you act on any apparent problem, especially when things seem to be out of control, always outline a plan. Great coaches don’t react to situations. They give themselves time to think a problem through. One of the many reasons that Shirley Tilghman, a pioneer in mapping the human genome, was chosen as Princeton University’s first woman president was her strength in pulling dissenting opinions together. She acted, not reacted, after listening and studying each position. Others might respond on impulse with their first thoughts or react to a time pressure. A good coach plots exactly what course is needed to remedy the situation.