D: Direction and Action
Create a Compelling Vision and Philosophy
The last element of the L.E.A.D. Model is direction and action. A common element amongst effective coaches is their ability to see what they want to achieve and to have a vision for the future, whether that be the next training session or the entire year’s (or multiple years’) outcome. Leaders who can create a vision engage followers due to the simple fact that people want to know what direction they are ‘going in’ and where they are going to ‘end up’. Very few people are willing to follow ‘blindly’, that is, to follow someone who has no idea as to where they are actually headed. Leaders simply must have clarity of direction; this is not negotiable for effective leadership of others. Next, it is critical how leaders stay on the path to their outcomes and goals despite the obstacles confronting them along the way. Without a strong sense of direction, coaches can waver, go off track and lose momentum, ultimately costing them and their team the opportunity to achieve their vision and goals. A critical question coaches must be able to answer is, Why do people follow me? This session aims to clarify this.
Learning outcomes
- Discuss and appreciate the importance of direction setting as a coach and having a current leadership philosophy.
- Develop a personalized coaching leadership philosophy using the five-step path to articulating what’s most important to you and how you will keep this alive moving forward.
- Establish key ways to stay aligned with your leadership philosophy each day and how to communicate it to others.
Download your Accompanying Workshop 4: Direction & Action Workbook
Watch the video below to learn more about Direction & Action:
D: Direction & Action
Follow up to Workshop
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Activity / follow up video
Watch the video below to learn more about Direction & Action:
LEADERSHIP VALUES
Direction, visions, and goals are closely tied to the values and behaviors that drive their success. Whatever direction or goal you pursue as a leader, it must align with your core values—those non-negotiable principles that define what’s most important to you.
Watch the video below on the leadership values activity:
ACTIVITY: YOUR VALUES
Refer to page 117 for this activity.
We often become aware of our values when they are compromised, sometimes unintentionally, by others, leading to a strong emotional response. These emotional reactions—whether negative or positive—are signals that our values have been triggered.
- Think back to moments when you felt strong emotions in response to an event. These moments often reveal the values that are deeply important to you.
- Write down what value was triggered during these previous experiences and if you see a pattern of values emerging.
- You can also have values which specifically relate to leadership. Think about what is most important to you about leadership. Write down your top three answers here.
GOAL SETTING AND DISC
Your DISC Profile can be a powerful tool for improving your goal-setting process and ensuring success. In our busy lives, it’s easy to lose focus, making it challenging to set clear goals, establish effective processes, and consistently commit to the actions required for success. However, goals are essential for achieving meaningful results, and writing them down provides the clarity and specificity needed to prioritize and inspire others.
Research by Dr. Gail Matthews at the Dominican University of California in 2007 highlights the importance of this approach. Matthews found that individuals who wrote down their goals, shared them with a trusted friend, and provided regular progress updates were, on average, 33% more successful in achieving their goals compared to those who only devised them mentally. This demonstrates how writing goals, committing to action, and maintaining accountability significantly enhance goal achievement.
By mastering your own goals and processes, you lay the foundation for effective self-leadership, which is essential before leading others
43% of stated goals were accomplished by those who did not write down their goals.
64% of stated goals were accomplished by those who wrote down their goals, created action commitments, and also shared these commitments with a friend.
76% of stated goals were accomplished by those who wrote down their goals, created action commitments, shared these commitments with a friend, and sent the friend a weekly progress report.
When goal setting, try using the model below:
Start with the overall outcome you want to achieve, ensuring it aligns with the SMART criteria: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Break your goal into actionable steps, focusing on key behaviors and processes. Treat it like building a house: create a solid foundation before progressing to more advanced stages.
Leverage your DISC Profile to identify strengths and potential challenges in achieving your goal. Adapt where necessary, such as increasing planning efforts if Conscientiousness is naturally low. Recruit others with complementary strengths to support your goal, ensuring a collaborative and effective approach.
ACTIVITY: GOAL SETTING
Refer to page 120 for this activity.
- Devise a personal goal and utilize the goal setting model to create strategies to assist you in this process.
- Devise a career goal and utilize the goal setting model outlined to create strategies to assist you in this process.
YOUR LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY
A leadership philosophy is a set of values and beliefs that guide a leader’s actions and decisions. It is shaped by personal experiences, accumulated knowledge, and leadership style, and directly impacts leadership practices. A clear leadership philosophy enables consistency, prioritization, and better decision-making, while creating trust and respect in the leader-follower relationship.
To articulate a leadership philosophy, follow these five steps:
ACTIVITY: YOUR LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY
Refer to page 123 for this activity.
Write your Leadership Philosophy in the space provided. Refer to pages 124-125 for examples.
360° Feedback
Athlete Assessments’ DISC Profiles can be used as a 360º feedback tool, allowing you to invite ‘Observers’—colleagues, coaches, peers, support staff, or others familiar with your behavior in your sporting environment—to provide insights into how they perceive your actions.
It’s recommended to ask individuals who have direct experience with you and can provide useful feedback. You can log into your personal account to initiate the feedback process. After your Observers complete their surveys, download your DISC Profile Report again to incorporate their feedback and print your ‘e-graphs’. If you need assistance, reach out to the person who organized your DISC Profile or contact Athlete Assessments directly.
Watch the video below on the 360º Observer Feedback process:
ACTIVITY: OBSERVER FEEDBACK
Refer to page 127 for this activity.
In your workbook, write down what you learnt from your Observer Feedback.
ACTIVITY: STRETCH ACTIVITY
Refer to page 128 for this activity.
A stretch activity is designed to push you out of your comfort zone. This is a zone where growth always occurs.
- Part One - A Leader in Your Community: Interview a Leader you respect who is part of your community outside of your normal environment. Talk to them about your own journey and learning about leadership, and ask them for their thoughts and perspectives.
- Make notes, what did you learn?
- Part Two - Teaching Leadership: find a local school of young people and deliver a presentation on the significance of leadership. Explain what leadership is, how it can be developed, and why it’s so important. This project is not only about sharing knowledge, but also about giving back and contributing to the growth of future leaders.