USING STEALTH MODE WHEN CHANGING YOUR PROGRAM!
So you made a decision to make a big change in your program? Maybe a new curriculum, maybe a whole new approach! You are excited and you want to tell everyone that this is a great new offering! But before you throw up the posters and blast your message over social media curb your excitement. To get the result you want you may need to go under cover. Having launched many programs and seen some good ones fail and some average ones succeed, we use these steps when working with a club or facility!
First validation – Are you confident that your market will be happy with the new product, will your pros accept it?
Planning – Don’t try to spin too many plates at once. Phase your roll out, breaking things into manageable chunks is key, start too many things at once and your team will be overwhelmed. Even good changes can freak people out!
Training – Spend time getting your team to both understand it and have the skills to deliver it! Make sure they can explain to parents and players what they are doing and crucially, why!
Enter Stealth Mode – Don’t forget this! Gradually test the things you plan to roll out without your players realizing! Drop elements into lessons and allow pros to practice some of the changes you are looking for. If you don’t do this step there is a danger that pros will not be confident enough and will revert to old habits when under pressure!
Roll Out – Ok now when you are sure everyone is on board, you don’t have too many spinning plates and the delivery team (mostly coaches but also reception, assistants etc) you are set to launch.
Review – Of course any new program needs a recurring review process. Most programs have to evolve their offering at least bi-annually! This of it like an iphone! We know it’s good and it works but it need a tweak and an update to keep motivation high!
We all need to practice and coaching teams are no different. Most changes that crash do so because the coaches are overwhelmed or not fully up to speed before you ask them to deliver in front of kids and parents. So take your time and allow them a little time undercover in stealth mode!
Join the Conversation at the It’s My Game Conference May 20th – 23rd 2021. Register now at www.itsmygame.net.
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