Leader Manager Coach Podcast

Discover the importance of understanding your players coaching language and how you can identify each of their individual coaching needs by tailoring your mentorship styles in a way that will impact them the most. Join Rob as he discusses the coaching languages of affirmation, time, touch,  service and gifts and comes up with some handy tips on how to implement these within your training regimes. KEY TAKEAWAYS  There are three ways that people will respond to learning. These are: Auditory, Visual and Kinesthetic. In order to reach everyone in your coaching business you will have to combine all three of these techniques when presenting to a crowd. People do not care how much you know, until they know how much you care. Wherever you are in the world, people are people and if you are not a good people person and you have undeveloped people skills, then you will be limited. The more emotionally intelligent you are, the better you will understand others and you will have a greater chance at bei

 The leader, manager coach podcast is all about helping you to lead, to manage and to coach to the maximum potential you have, whether that is in your personal life, in business or whatever else. The content in this episode was a result of the many discussions and thoughts Rob had about what is happening at the moment in elite football, particularly around the European Super League. Rob believes it has been spoken about enough already but there are lessons to be learnt from this situation.   KEY TAKEAWAYSStewardship is so appropriate to this situation, there are so many things we can learn and analyse from this word in life and in the world.Because of the enormous outcry from supporters, influencers and players about creating the European super league, because it was a mass disagreement, it made it virtually possible for it to go ahead, it was evident it was a bad decision. There were many clear consequences that would be negative, the only reasoning many could see was financial gain

Rob looks at the work of Tom Morris, author of ‘The Stoic Art of Living – Inner Resilience, Outer  Results focusing in this episode on Seneca.It can be easy to view the past as not moving at the same pace as we do now but the cut and thrust of life in the past was as intense then as it is now and the learning just as relevant.The older we get the more we realise time is precious and that you need to make the most of every second. Whatever sport or leadership capacity you are in becoming a stronger and more resilient person will help you to achieve balance in your life and the focus to reach the right goals and Rob shares great content on how to work towards this through the work of the stoic lawyer Seneca. KEY TAKEAWAYSBeing organised stops wastage and adds success. If you are chaotic you will waste time hitting the wrong goalsIt's not what you know it's what you do, it's about the actions you takeThe challenge is setting the correct goals and understanding that setting the wrong goals i

This is an episode that Rob recorded in 2020 when we were still in lockdown in the UK. Rob wanted to talk about delays and opportunities and how they resonate and link to similar struggles we are all facing in this pandemic. KEY TAKEAWAYSLike many players, Bill Shankly had a hiatus of a few years when his career, like many others, was cut short due to world war 2. It was taken out of their hands. There is resonance and analogy between this and the current pandemic.No matter what obstacles and delays the pandemic has caused you try and remind yourself this has happened before. It doesn't make the pain easier but it may give you some reassurance and hope for the future.We have to learn to live and deal with this pandemic, the universe will do what it wants to do.With great ‘prizes' also comes responsibility. Society easily sees the prize but often not the responsibility that comes with reaching a position of power.If we have predetermined who we will be and how we will get there then there are no cho

Today in Rob's fourth instalment of Eknath Easwaran's words to live by, he continues to discuss how we can apply Eknath's learnings to our own paths of discovery, particularly regarding leading, managing and coaching. KEY TAKEAWAYSThis series of episodes is inspired by Eknath Easwaran who is an incredible thought leader and provides wonderful ways of looking at the world. Teams are made of individuals. Remember that every single person is an individual and everyone must find their own way and make their own path. This makes it even more incredible when teams truly work. Always consider that you know nothing. The minute you think you know something you essentially wall off further learning. Be the eternal student and always believe there is always something else to learn. Never underestimate the power of small things. Understand the power of routines and rituals. What do you need to do to build up the level of connection with those you work with? In today's society, we are used to things happ

In this episode Rob interviews ex-pro footballer Ciaran Toner. Ciaran has a wealth experience in the game of football, including being on the other side of training which is why he began coaching after retiring as a footballer. He has now also developed and created a player and coach platform to connect those in football in unique ways and provide countless opportunities for them. KEY TAKEAWAYSCiaran was born in Northern Ireland but moved to England as a teen and was signed to Tottenham Hotspur football club where he stayed for five years. He then went onto have a successful career in league two football until he decided to retire.Ciaran was fortunate to have good experiences in the game and has used these experiences to guide and build his coaching practice.In this day and age, there are support networks everywhere. It doesn't have to be your Mum or your Dad, it can be your coach or an online community. It's key to remember that.Unfortunately, there are a lot of young players that aren't willing to work

An emotional episode where Rob speaks about a story he heard from a family member. He talks about how the story resonated with him, its wider meaning and the lessons it reminded him of, including love, gratitude and communication.KEY TAKEAWAYSLast Saturday a young man left his home and was involved in a road traffic accident as a pedestrian. He was taken to hospital and underwent major brain surgery. He was subsequently diagnosed with brain stem death and was being kept alive by the ventilator. The family were asked if they would donate his organs to help others and they agreed. He was given one more night on the ward. However, miraculously during that night he began to breathe on his own.Rob would not have heard this story if he had not kept lines of communication open with the person who told him. It was a lesson for him in relationships, communication and especially listening.As a leader, you can't get involved in everything but what you can do when you come across a situation is ask yourself if

One of the things Rob is very passionate about is practice and how the elements of this contribute to mastery of something. Recently he heard about the concept of practice and ritual so wanted to discuss this and offer his own thoughts on the idea. As well as this he talks about the concept of work being your power and how being a servant leader can transform coaching, businesses and organisations.KEY TAKEAWAYS As human beings we like getting into routines. Transferring this concept to practice by creating a ritual is something that can be incredibly successful in helping you succeed longer term goals. If you have a set routine each day, in any area of life, it means you don't have to think about these small details as much. It opens your mind and thoughts to other tasks. You can free up your mental capacity to focus on the things you want to instead. However, some true masters of practice are not concerned with rituals but simply just with the concept of practice. Meaning they aren't rigid when it comes to h

When Rob came across the saying ‘throwing pebbles into the Grand Canyon' by Eknath Easwaran, it created a striking visual image that struck a cord with him immediately. So today Rob talks about what this image means and how it intertwines with personal development and enabling you to help those around you. KEY TAKEAWAYS Imagine yourself throwing a pebble, small enough to fit in your palm, into the vastness of the Grand Canyon. As it falls into the almost immeasurable depth you would feel like it makes no difference to the greatness, but the Canyon is now smaller since you threw your pebble into it. How many times have you felt too small to achieve or do something or what you want to do feels impossible? We all have our firsts, our first speech or our first time on the pitch. What you have done by completing these firsts is create momentum, you have thrown your first pebble. If you are doing something out the ordinary then you will get your naysayers and people trying to stop you. This probably mea

 Today in Rob's third instalment of Eknath Easwaran's words to live by, he continues to discuss how we can apply Eknath's learnings to our own paths of discovery, particularly in regards to leading, managing and coaching. KEY TAKEAWAYS This series of episodes is inspired by Eknath Easwaran who is an incredible thought leader and provides wonderful ways of looking at the world.1) When someone has a desire to do something it is almost like a divine quantum spark. There are key differences between coaching younger children and those who are older and we need to bear this in mind alongside their own personal desires when guiding, leading and coaching.2) Detachment. If you are attached to a specific outcome then you will always have a significant amount of uncomfortableness in your life. We can create the perfect environment, we are in control of this, but we can't control all outcomes, especially in sport.3) Serving. Recognise that we are here to serve others. Rob got into football coaching because it w

Authentically being yourself creates both happiness and achievement. This is what Rob personally thinks success is about, we are all born with different strength and weaknesses, it is what makes people and life so interesting, as well as challenging. Key to all of this is the understanding that you too have your own strengths and weaknesses and that there are things you have strong bias towards.This week Rob speaks about an interview he listened to on BBC Radio 4 with world class sportsman James Cracknell. A number of years ago James suffered a brain injury whilst cycling in the USA, this created many changes in James and impacted his life in ways he had never even imagined, including his personality.KEY TAKEAWAYS The more you try and understand others the more successful your life will become. James believes that to become world class at something in sport you have to develop characteristics that are in direct opposition to being successful in the of rest life. What he means is that if you want to get to the

This week Rob speaks to ex footballer Rob Blackburne. Rob helps footballers with their mental health and life off the pitch to make them better on the pitch. He also runs a successful podcast, courses and is writing a book.  They discuss education, coaching and talk all about mindset and how it creates a successful life, making you the best you can be.KEY TAKEAWAYS Rob started off as a PT at 21 to being a nutritionist, training in CBT to where he is now. He has always been interested in mindset and this is what set him along his path. When Rob was released from Chelsea at 16 he surprisingly was ok with the major life change. He realised he couldn't change it or affect it so he just accepted it. A mantra he has continued to follow throughout his career and life. Rob's best friend was devastatingly diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Rob helped care for him more and more as he deteriorated. Shortly after his mum was diagnosed with cancer. So he was looking after his best friend, his mum and all his clien

This week Rob shares some key learnings that he was fortunate to discover at a recent conference. The tips are from a football coaching niche but can be applied to anything. Success principles are applicable to all aspects of success and life.KEY TAKEAWAYS Rob was invited to the third AFC youth conference where he learnt several key things that he wants to share.1 – Precocious talent matures very slowly, if at all2 – Competition drives everything, without competition we will not achieve what is possible.3 – We have to think longer term, about development and performance not just winning and results.4 – It's not just the 11 on the pitch, it's the teams behind the teams.5 – Relationships are key. You cannot build a successful team unless there is focus on the relationships.6- Focus on systemisation. It's important that when decisions are made that the correct systems are in place so that people can do the doing and the decision makers can focus on the things they are supposed to.7

This week Rob talks about his experiences with feedback and decisions. He gives some key examples of where you can improve on getting feedback and making decisions to improve yourself as a coach or leader in whatever you do.KEY TAKEAWAYSAs coaches, you can often find yourself teaching and learning yourself as you go along.Remember that as you do your time, whether that be on the pitch, in the classroom or wherever, those hours will add up and you will find those magical moments. There aren't 'golden nuggets' every day, the routine can be mundane, but the more hours you put in the more little things you will find.If you aren't sure if someone understands what you are trying to tell them, ask them to explain it back to you. It's a sure way of knowing if you have a mutual understanding.Consider, is there anything you do in your coaching or leadership where you can gather some feedback? Genuine feedback is necessary for growth and essential for all coaches and leaders. If not, detailed, honest, self-analysis can

This week Rob talks about key concepts in the second part of his Eknath Easwaran: words to live by series. Get yourself a copy of Eknath Easwaran it will change your perspective on life.KEY TAKEAWAYS1) The Value of Shut Down, Rest and Recovery. There's never been a more important time to recognise this in the modern world. We need to reconnect with quiet time/sleep/rejuvenation, set your boundaries and perimeters for self-care, it's vital.2) Be Present. All our power is only in the now.3) Be detached from outcome. For peace of mind you need to recognise what is in your control and what is not.4) Why be in a Hurry. Take lessons from nature.5) A life devoid of desire is probably not worth living but you have to deal with them in the right way.6) We need to aim for purposeful practice.7) Be Patient.8) Individuals Make the Difference. Individuals can change a nation, a culture etc just by changing themselves.9) Forgive yourself every day for the mistakes you make. If you cannot forgive yourself you will not b

This week Rob talks about one of the stoic principles, ‘doing as much good as you can, whenever you can'.  When we talk, when we act, we don't often know the influence or the outcome that is having on other people. Listen in today to hear Rob's thoughts and take on this and how it intertwines with the human existence.  KEY TAKEAWAYSOur impact on others is immeasurable and we should take heed to that in everything we say and do.How often do we hear about how one moment having a defining impact on someone's life? Don't underestimate your interactions with others.Rob loves books. He finds that when something in a book resonates with him he has to pause to take in what he is reading and recognises that he is reading that book at the right time for him.The daily interactions we have with those around us that have the biggest, constant influence on us all.With our technology and development of science we can be fooled into thinking we know so much more than those that came before us. But in terms of

This week Rob has been inspired by James Clear. James is a prolific writer and shares some very insightful information with great clarity on both his website and in his book Atomic Habits. One of the things he writes about is authenticity, this is the focus in this episode. Listen in today to hear all about what authenticity is and what you can do to be a more authentic person. KEY TAKEAWAYSRob believes one of the reasons we resonate with particular people is because of their authenticity. We can sense how they are true to themselves and that they are open about who they are and what they are about.The process of learning, taking things and being influenced by others is the process of life.What is the point of living if you aren't going to be authentically you. There is no point being a second-rate version of someone else.Comparing yourself to others is completely useless. Don't allow your value to be dictated by other people's comparisons and thoughts of you.People want to be around those who are authen

This week Rob gives an update on his last day in Bangladesh. He talks about what his and our world is like at that point in time, humanity and coming home. KEY TAKEAWAYSMaking the decision to go to Bangladesh was difficult for Rob but he accepted the challenge and it was completely worth it.Life is a battle and once you accept there are always changes it becomes easier to deal with it. You have to overcome and deal with things.Both Rob and his friend got a ‘sixth sense' that they needed to return home. So they decided to trust this feeling, even though it means there are some things that will be left 'undone'.Values vary considerably around the world. We can't expect everyone to behave the same way, it's far more complicated than that.Rob goes home tomorrow, without a care in the world. The experience of being in Bangladesh has changed him.BEST MOMENTS“Sometimes you have many decisions to make”“We are fragile in our greatness…having that perspective, that realisation that w

 This week Rob delves deeper into the philosopher coaches series. In previous episodes Rob spoke about John Wooden as well as Vince Lombardi, both incredible people. But today Rob talks about Hayes, Counsilman, Hamilton and Cerutty and what they taught the world about success. KEY TAKEAWAYSThese people believed that winning was not everything. The thing that was most important to them was their belief in the ‘process of winning'. That the effort and will required to try and win is the actual success. They focused on what they could control and gave that everything.Focusing on the process not only brings you success but actually prevents you from failing.Woody Hayes was an American football coach. He was frequently chastised for some of his behaviour but he had an understanding that it was ok to make mistakes and what counted was if you were able to recover from them.Hayes had strong values and they came from reading books. He believed in the works that the writers and philosophers had created

This week Rob speaks to Mat Smith, someone who uses his own time to work tirelessly for football and a first-class leader with some fantastic and valuable lessons for us all.This week's episode takes some time away from elite football and gives some perspective on the non-league side of the game. KEY TAKEAWAYSRob and Mat met quite some time ago but they lost touch. Mat reached back out and they had a chat and it's been great for them to revisit a few things and catch up.Non-league football, particularly in the UK, is a place where many players develop and is full of endless passion. It can be a great stepping stone for players.Many roles in non-league clubs are voluntary, this is vital for the clubs survival. People like Mat are invaluable to the non-league game throughout the country.The days of one-player clubs are few and far between nowadays, so it's nice for mat to be involved with the reserves and see progress in younger players.With the working week moving away from Monday-Friday for many people n