High Value vs. Low Value and Listening
At Level 1, people don't listen because you don't have meat and cheese
My coaching mentor has a saying that has always stuck with me because it has applied directly to me on multiple fronts as a player…
“Drew, you’re only as good as your coach thinks you are.”
In my first year of juniors, my coach thought I sucked… And honestly, I did…
And perception was reality for him. I was scratched 10x more than I played.
In my 2nd year of juniors, my new coach thought I was going to be one of the best players in the division. And perception was reality for him too. I led the team in points.
In my 3rd year of juniors, I went back to playing for the first coach (although I really went back to play for my coaching mentor who was the assistant and worked with the forwards). And perception was reality for both of them.
My HC thought I was still the really shitty player who played for him 2 years ago. And my coaching mentor told him I was going to lead the team in points when the HC wanted to ‘cut’ me in training camp.
That time, only one of them was right.
It was my coaching mentor because he controlled my playing time and who I played with (except for 1 weekend that year).
Transitioning from player to Level 1 Coach and business owner has been no different. A few people see the potential in what this platform is, and most people on the planet have no clue who I am.
Less people know about me because most people want to see a credibility stamp on my next track jacket before they begin listening to me.
“I’ll listen to Drew when he starts coaching in the USHL.” I hear them saying without saying it.
Maybe not so shocking to you at this point… There’s a tie-in to dog training that really drives this point home for struggling Level 1 Coaches/writers/creators/etc…
“We Don’t Listen Until You Have the Cheese.”
I was talking to my fiancee the other day, as most people do in healthy relationships…
And she was telling me about her last session of the day with a dog that is struggling with training. He is one of those cases where he only cares to listen to you when you have meat and cheese. Bring dog kibble on his walk and try to use that to ask for compliance out of him and good luck…
He isn’t listening.
Why?
What you are offering isn’t perceptually high enough value.
When you’re at Level 1, you offer dog kibble. And nobody is listening because your perceived value isn’t high enough.
When you’ve convinced your audience (or rather, they have convinced themselves) that you have meat and cheese on your person… The game changes. The quantum leap happens.
The low incremental yardage turns into what looks like an ‘overnight success’.
But most don’t know you were trying to sling dog kibble to an audience that wanted more than that for years.
At Level 1, they aren’t listening because you don’t have the cheese.
For more on non-linearity and quantum leaps, check out this week’s Level 1 Coach Podcast: