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Developing Decision Makers:

An Empowerment Approach to Coaching

Written by Lynn Kidman

An empowerment approach to coaching is an effective tool to enable athletes to learn and encourage them to make effective decisions. Athletes and coach share the ownership of learning and the development of a team vision. Teh result is enhanced athlete performance and a thriving, supportive team culture.

Developing Decision Makers: An empowerment approach to coaching promotes the use of an empowerment approach among coaches for all levels of athletes. It relates successful stories about the approach from the perspectives of both elite and junior coaches, and athletes themselves.

Among those to adopt an empowerment approach is Wayne Smith (regional and international rugby coach). Interviewed for Developing Decision Makers, he tells his story here, offering a powerful insight into how the approach works. Through his examples, and those of the other coaches in this book, it is hoped that coaches may be inspired to break away from a traditional (autocratic or prescriptive) approach and turn to an empowering style of coaching.

"People will rise to a challenge if it is their challenge"
Wayne Smith