One of Nick Saban’s legacies as a coach is his relentless focus on the process: “We’re not going to talk about what we’re going to accomplish. We’re going to talk about how we’re going to do it.” Coaches talk significantly about the process as a means to winning, but the process often includes vague ideas. It’s rarely discussed how coaches and programs develop their process. While each coach defines and develops the process uniquely, similar steps lead to creating a system for success. Its development should include coaches, players, and support staff who work with the athletes throughout the year. Here is one example of a six step plan for developing a championship process:
- Define the Process: It’s critical to specifically and clearly define the process for everyone. Although most have heard the term before, many may not know exactly what it means in the program. In a program meeting, allow individuals, small groups, and the full group develop a running definition of the process.
- State What it Takes: Once everyone understands the definition, work together as a group to answer the following question: What will it take for us to be a championship team? Allow individuals, small groups, and the team to write down everything it’ll take. Remind the players that no detail is too small. Record these answers on the board and in a process document.
- Develop Process Themes: After writing down everything it takes to win championships, develop common process themes and place all the criteria underneath a theme. An example of a theme might be mindset, weight room, injury prevention, nutrition, practice, offense, defense, off-season, game day, and the list could go on. These themes become the focus of the team’s process. The coaching and support staff should develop themes around practice such as everyday drills or warm-up.
- Create Levels of Performance: Although the themes provide individual areas of the process, it’s helpful to develop the level at which a championship team achieves them. Working through each characteristic in the themes, state clearly the highest level of performance: What does this characteristics look like at the highest level possible? It’s very helpful to develop the process into a measurable construct when possible. The coaching and support staff should develop levels of performance for areas such as practice and game day.
- Collect Specific Data: Working with the coaching and support staff, develop a way to collect and measure data aligned with each aspect of the process. Asking the following question is helpful: How do we know we’re excelling in that area of our process? Asking and answering this question for each of the themes allows for an objective approach for continuous improvement.
- Analyze and Refine: The coaching and support staff should set specific dates when they’ll meet, evaluate the data, revisit the process themes and systems, and make data-driven decisions on if what they’re doing is moving the program closer to the desired results. These discussions are an opportunity to refine specific aspects of the process and audit its effectiveness. Utilizing a trusted, objective person outside the program to audit the process greatly impacts the opportunity for continuous improvement.
Many coaches talk about the process, but the process must be defined and specifically developed in order to win consistently. A transparent process shared with every person connected to the program creates accountability to it. Although this actionable process contains only six steps, this work could take multiple weeks, a few months, a year, or even longer to fully develop its details and make it fit the program. Great coaches and winning programs leave absolutely nothing to chance when chasing their goals.
How do you develop a championship process?