International coaching leadership, with Chris Duncan

Sign up to my FREE motivational psychology newsletter: Subscribe | Labours of Sport Coaching - The Self-Determined Coach In this episode I sit down with Chris Duncan, Head Coach of Scotland's National Women's Hockey team and Programme Lead for Women's Pathway. We discuss leadership, strategic coordination, managing coaching dynamics, fostering and nurturing relationships, and coach development. Lessons to be learned for those coaching within international set ups and club level set ups alike! Takeaways Coaching is about guiding athletes to long-term improvement while balancing short-term results. Clear role definition within coaching teams improves efficiency and performance. Athlete development should be supported across club, school, and national programmes, not fragmented. A shared coaching vocabulary enhances communication and decision-making. High-performance teams thrive on autonomy within a structured philosophy. Transparent selection processes build trust and accountability. Authenticity in leadership fosters stronger coach-athlete relationships.

Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Overview of Coaching Responsibilities 04:57 Distinctions Between International and Club Coaching 07:34 Development Pathways in Women's Hockey 11:00 Bio-Banding and Player Development Philosophy 15:15 The Importance of Shared Language in Coaching 18:45 Building Relationships and Commitment to Player Development 22:55 Navigating Performance Feedback and Player Growth 26:31 Managing Individual and Team Development 32:40 Coaching Team Dynamics and Role Clarity 36:28 The Art of Letting Go in Coaching 39:21 Establishing Structure and Autonomy 41:44 Role Reversal: Learning Through Experience 45:29 Consistency in Coaching Dynamics 50:48 The Importance of Trust and Authenticity 01:02:41 Navigating Coaching Challenges and Feedback 01:13:09 Key Takeaways for Effective Coaching If you enjoyed this episode, I suggest checking out these previous episodes too: Lessons from the best coaches, with John OSullivan Kevin Nicol - Providing structure within tactics Managing people, with Michael Tuohy Learn more about your host and access my services: https://markjcarrollcoaching.wordpress.com/consultancy/

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