The Power of Observation
“The secret is in the details and observing intensely. During the week, we are aware of every detail, everyone’s emotional well-being, someone’s facial expressions, hundreds of details. The key is observation. ”
Imagine driving a car with no mirrors or windows. You are only able to see out the front windshield. How long do you think it would take before you got into an accident? This kind of driving would be terrifying.
This simple thought experiment emphasises the point of observation. When driving we take in lots of information to make good driving decisions that will keep us and the other cars around us safe.
To stay with our driving metaphor, I can also assume that you are probably a better driver now than you were the first time you hit the road. Have you ever wondered why that is?
Doug Lemov gives us some insight in his book “The Coach’s Guide to Teaching.”
“Compared to novices, veteran teachers looked at less but saw more. Their eye movements were steadier and narrower. With experience, they had come to know where to look to reliably see the important variables.”
This ability to be able to know what to look for and where, is not only relevant for coaches but players as well. With the use of eye-tracking glasses, researchers have been able to identify that expert participants are able to narrow their field of vision to the important cues necessary to succeed in their task.
“The expert’s vision is narrow, steady, and consistent. Much steadier than a novice’s. The novice scans a wider range of the visual field and is not as consistent in where he or she directs their eyes. The expert is taking in less visual information to guide their decisions than the novice. But this is because the expert knows exactly where to look to find the right cues, and they lock in on them earlier. The expert’s perception captures more signal and less noise.”
Essentially, observing is a skill that coaches must practice.
Purposeful observation unlocks many doors in the realm of coaching. As Dr. Ceri Bowley states, “In order for a coach to effectively evaluate, intervene, and give feedback, they must first be able to competently observe in order to understand what is happening in training or a match. Accurate observation informs the decision-making process leading to the selection of the appropriate action or intervention. In other words, what you see dictates how you act.”
Observation is just part of the formula. The other part is establishing learning goals and objectives to guide your observation and to be intentional about what you are looking for. Within the Montessori methodology, the goal of observation is to learn about the child from an objective perspective. The only way to be objective and avoid biased judgement is to have clearly established metrics and learning goals that will guide your focus.
For example, if you are coaching a group of young 10-year-old girls, and you and your director of coaching have established that the objective for the training week is 2v1 situations, then you can focus your observation on these scenarios and nothing else. By doing this you are purposeful and intentional. You can ignore missed shots, 1v1 dribbling actions, defending actions, and anything else that isn’t 2v1 situations.
The following tips will help you further develop the skill of observation:
Stillness is the Key:
If you have ever been in nature looking for certain animals, like bird watching, whale watching, on safari, or have attempted nature photography, you know the importance of stillness. You can not expect to see the animal you are waiting for if you are constantly moving or talking. Not only does stillness allow you to take in more information but it goes deeper than that. Ryan Holiday says, “Stillness is what aims the arrow. It inspires new ideas, it sharpens perspective, and illuminates connections.” In short, allowing yourself moments to “take it all in” gives the clarity required when everything around you may feel stressful or chaotic. It gives you the space to zoom out and see the bigger picture. Ultimately, stillness sharpens your observational skill.
Take Multiple Perspectives:
This tip should be taken literally and figuratively. Coaches should take multiple vantage points during practices to provide richer visual information. Practically, you should attempt to see what your playing is seeing. For example, if you are working with the back four and they are facing the opposing goal, you should stand behind them (ie. from their goalkeeper’s perspective) to see what they are seeing.
Figuratively, taking multiple perspectives means that you should ask questions to see how others may view different situations. This means asking your players questions about what they saw during a specific game scenario (before assuming what you thought they saw). It also means having conversations with those who are with you (eg. assistant coaches, directors of coaching, other players, etc) to see if you are seeing the same things as they are. By asking questions, you are getting closer to objective truths.
Marking and Note-Taking:
The final tip is to keep a log of your observations. Research has shown that notetakers’ brains work more to digest, summarize, and capture the heart of the information. This, in turn, promotes understanding and retention. Not only that but, the physical nature of pen and paper allows people to recall events better because it creates "landmarks" for your brain. Your brain maps better with these visual cues. And to encapsulate a previous tip, the process of taking notes on paper, forces you to slow down and give you that stillness required to reflect effectively.
Sir Alex Ferguson said, “I don’t think many people fully understand the value of observing. I came to see observation as a critical part of my management skills. The ability to see things is key—or, more specifically, the ability to see things you don’t expect to see.”
So the question I leave you with is; what are you missing by not observing?
“We cannot create observers by saying ‘observe,’ but by giving them the power and the means for this observation and these means are procured through education of the senses.”
