Are You Solving the Right Problem?
Ever tried to fix something in a session… and it just doesn’t stick?
You tweak the drill, change the setup, add a few more cues, and still the same issue keeps showing up. That usually tells you something. You’re probably not solving the real problem.
Because in coaching, what you see isn’t always the issue.
A player looks slow off the mark. Is it actually speed, or is it hesitation? An athlete keeps missing lifts. Is it strength, or could it be confidence, fatigue, or even something outside the gym? A group looks flat in a session. Is it motivation, or are they carrying fatigue and tired legs from earlier in the week?
It’s easy to jump to the first answer. The obvious one. The visible one. But coaches need to learn to pause and dig a little deeper. They ask one more question. What’s actually causing this?
Because if you solve the wrong problem, you end up chasing your tail. You keep changing drills, adding more, and adjusting things that were never the issue to begin with. That’s where frustration creeps in, for you and for the athlete.
So next time something isn’t working, don’t jump straight into solution mode.
Take a second and step back… Are you solving what you see… or what’s actually there?
Because the better you get at identifying the real problem, the less you need to change everything else.
Food for thought
Michael
