Ce putem invata de la Darren Cahill?
Stirile ne arata zilele acestea o Simona Halep zambind mai mult si mai frumos ca niciodata. De cateva zile este venit in Romania Darren Cahill, omul impreuna cu care a ajuns la cele mai bune performante in cariera ei. Da, Omul Darren, nu doar Coach-ul Cahill.
In cadrul evenimentului Sports Festival, Darren ne-a oferit un interviu, o bijuterie pentru cei pasionati de dezvoltare personala, coaching si modalitati de a sprijini oamenii in drumul lor spre performanta.
Ce m-a uimit insa, este reactia celor care s-au grabit sa arunce cu rosii in reporterul a carui engleza nu era chiar la cel mai inalt standard. Aici urmeaza maiestria lui Darren, care se dovedeste a fi un coach nu doar pe terenul de tenis. Tot dialogul este o minunata lectie de empatie, incredere, respect, un fel de a acorda incredere care te face sa te simti castigat si numai daca-l asculti.
Ce a facut Darren? Nu numai ca a inteles engleza intervievatorului de la Ziarul Financiar, facut oligofren si in multe feluri, ci chiar l-a felicitat pentru o intrebare interesanta. “That’s a great question!” Urmareste cu atentie limbajul lui Darren, plin de aprecieri si multumiri acordate oamenilor impreuna cu care a evoluat si impreuna cu care s-a dezvoltat.
Care este rezultatul acestor critici si comportamente toxice ale noastre? Vad des aceste comportamente, atat la adresa Simonei cat si prin companii: suntem extrem de critici si lipsiti de empatie cu greselile. Performantele care nu se ridica la nivelul asteptat ni se par nesemnificative.
Ne manifestam nemultumirea in termeni lipsiti de empatie si elementul constructiv. Uneori pierdem din vedere esentialul, accentuand greselile. Ni-l spune Darren, mai putin cosmetizat de data aceasta, cand ne transmite noua, ca natie:
“For Simona, to recover for that loss, shows how great she is, the resilience she has! How proud she is to play in the colours of Romania and do what she does for you, guys! And she does a lot of this stuff on the court, for you guys, because she knows how important is to this country to give your best and to try to be successful. I’ve became a great coach because I had a great player in Simona. She’s the reason why I’m here today.”
Ne pricepem de minune sa facem comparatii care nu ajuta pe nimeni, sa-I “laudam” engleza lui Iliescu si sa descurajam prin atitudine, oamenii care nu se ridica la asteptarile sau aspiratiile noastre.
Ce spune despre noi faptul ca suntem atat de critici unii cu altii si mai putin empatici si suportivi?
“You can’t be a good coach without having a great player”
The most important thing that I learned is that you have to listen as a coach. We can’t coach every player the same way. The most important thing is you have to coach players through their eyes, and not my eyes. To do that it takes time and you have to put the right questions, and you have to earn the trust and believe of your player.
Simona and I, have a great relationship. We can talk about many things. We have great trust and respect between us, and I think that is what people see. We are giving our best.
You can’t be a good coach without having a great player. And Simona was a great player before I started working with her. I’ve been lucky that I’ve coached some good players, but her journey to me, was the most emotional, the most satisfying.
The ability to take some pretty tough defeats in Grand Slam Finals, the one against Sharapova, the one against Ostapenko, the one against Woszniaki, is outstanding. It breaked our hearts out. I thought to myself after that match: How we are going to recover from that?
Il admiram si ni-l dorim pe Darren alaturi de Simona, ca un exponent singular prin care Simona “isi poate reveni din nou”. Oare am putea sa invatam ceva din ceea ce apreciem la el? Suntem oare pregatiti sa renuntam la tiparele cu care am crescut?
Reporterul, vadit emotionat de ceea ce tocmai auzise, continua sa-l intrebe pe Darren:
What do you think is the role of a great athlete, with outstanding results in giving a boost in the sport movement in a country?
That’s a great question! I think that you are going to leave a legacy after your career, you have to give back. We can look at someone like Andre Agassi….He opened 65 schools who are giving disadvantaged children, people that can’t afford an education, a chance to go to school. It’s pretty amazing. I think when tennis is finished, I know Simona, I know her heart and her soul. She’s going to be as inspired to give back to the next generation of tennis players coming through.
Ce m-a impresionat, pe langa naturaletea australianului, este felul in care Darren alege sa ne vorbeasca despre greselile pe care le-a facut si ce a invatat din ele.
“I was an idiot. I told her I put too much pressure on her. I hugged her and I told her I love her. It was a learning experience for me, as well. It will never happen again. From now on, we gonna do this together.
Three or four weeks later she beat Sharapova (6-2, 6-2, in Asia) and she became nr.1 in the world. That was it. And she was a different player after that because all I did was giving her a hug. And sometimes you need someone next to you. Someone you can trust to tell you the truth, to give you a different view from different eyes: and that was Tale. And he is a big reason why we turn things around.“
Darren pledeaza in continuare pentru Romania asa cum noi nu stim sau nu vrem sa o facem. Macar sa vrem sa invatam. Ca el ne ofera oportunitati. Ne lasa cu speranta ca se va intoarce alaturi de Simona: “Dacă voi antrena anul viitor, Simona este prima persoană pe care o voi suna”
Putem modela de la el sau prin sedinte de mentorat sau coaching, prin reflectie – cateva moduri de a ne uita la oamenii de langa noi, fie ca ne sunt colegi, familie, angajati: ascultarea cu empatie si cu incredere ca aurul este deja in ei si doar trebuie descoperit. Indiferent ca sunt sportivi sau nu.
“Keep looking forward and train with a purpose. And if you fall, get back on the horse! “
Interviul in intregime, din care am extras secventele de mai sus, il puteti urmari aici:
