Today I had a conversation with a coach who was quick to tell me how many girls are signed up to play football for his club. And yet, in the age group he was talking about, the stats tell us that participation falls off a cliff. I couldn’t figure out exactly what was bothering me, about the conversation, until I had walked away.
Then I got it.
A bad coach wants to be left alone, an average coach wants to learn and a good coach wants the truth. The problem, of course, is that there are a few versions of the truth, and which one we use, will depend on the story we are telling ourselves.
Subjective truth is your truth.
Normative truth requires an outside view, not the view from the rock that you are hiding under.
Finally, there is the objective truth which can be measured and verified.
A good coach not only wants the truth, they know the difference between good news and the truth.