Prof. Dave Collins - Professional Judgement & Decision Making, 'it depends' coaching?
Oct 26, 2024
auto_awesome
Dave Collins, a Professor at the University of Edinburgh and director of Grey Matters Performance Limited, shares his insights on Professional Judgment and Decision Making in coaching. He discusses the 'It Depends' coaching principle, emphasizing context-specific strategies over rigid methodologies. Reflective practice is highlighted as a tool for enhancing decision-making skills. Collins also explores the importance of adapting coaching styles for different athletes, advocating for a holistic approach that balances enjoyment, safety, and skill development.
Professional Judgment and Decision Making (PJDM) emphasizes the necessity of context-specific decision-making tailored to the unique needs of athletes or learners.
Coaches should cultivate both declarative and procedural knowledge to enhance their professional judgment and decision-making capabilities effectively.
Utilizing reflective practices like the 'Big Five' questions allows coaches to assess their decisions, promoting adaptability and innovation in their coaching methods.
Deep dives
Understanding Professional Judgment and Decision Making (PJDM)
Professional Judgment and Decision Making (PJDM) is a framework that guides coaches in selecting appropriate methods based on their coaching context and objectives. It emphasizes that different situations require different decision-making styles, tailored to the specific needs of the athletes or learners involved. For instance, while a command style might be suitable for high-risk activities like abseiling, a guided discovery approach could work for creative dance. This recognition of diverse coaching methods underpins PJDM and encourages coaches to reflect on which methods best align with their desired outcomes.
Declarative vs. Procedural Knowledge in Coaching
Coaches need both declarative knowledge, which involves understanding the 'why' behind actions, and procedural knowledge, which pertains to the 'how.' For example, a mechanic who merely follows procedures without understanding the underlying principles may struggle to diagnose and fix a car issue effectively. In contrast, a mechanic with a deep understanding of the engine can quickly find solutions. This highlights that coaches, regardless of experience level, should aim to cultivate both types of knowledge to enhance their decision-making skills.
Practical Tools for Developing Reflective Coaching Practices
A set of reflective questions known as the 'Big Five' can help coaches assess their decisions and improve their Professional Judgment and Decision Making. These questions prompt coaches to evaluate what actions they took, the alternatives considered, and how the context might influence those decisions. By regularly engaging with these questions, coaches can become more adaptable and creative, leading to enhanced learning experiences for their athletes. This practice was successfully tested with adventure sports coaches, emphasizing its applicability in high-stakes environments.
Nested Thinking in Coaching
Nested thinking, likened to Russian dolls, emphasizes that coaches often make immediate decisions that fit into broader, long-term objectives. For example, addressing a child's disruptive behavior in the classroom is a micro decision that can be framed within a larger goal of fostering confidence and collaboration. Coaches must consider multiple layers of outcomes simultaneously, as quick fixes may not align with their long-term goals for development. This approach underlines the significance of reflective practice, allowing coaches to revisit their decisions and learn from the outcomes effectively.
Adopting a formulaic approach in coaching can lead to ineffective practices if it disregards the context and needs of the learners. While structured programs provide a useful foundation, they must be adapted to fit the unique dynamics of different athletes and situations. For instance, using a standardized lesson plan for all sports may overlook vital distinctions required for effective skill acquisition. To meet diverse learning needs, coaches should view themselves as chefs, ready to modify foundational recipes, rather than strict cooks following a set formula.
In this episode of the Adaptive Coach podcast, Jon Mackey speaks with Professor Dave Collins about Professional Judgment and Decision Making (PJDM) in coaching. They explore the importance of context-specific decision-making, the need for reflective practice, and the complexities of coaching at different levels. Collins emphasizes the significance of understanding the needs of learners and the dangers of formulaic coaching approaches. The conversation also touches on the convergence of ecological dynamics and information processing theories, and the future of coaching methodologies.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode