Coaching the Whole Person: Introduction to the 3D Framework
At the Impactful Coaching Project, we are big believers in the 3D Coaching Model. Rob is a research fellow with 3D and Dustin is a strong advocate for them. In this post, we’ll briefly outline their philosophy.
Jeff Duke is the founder of the 3D. He has a fascinating story and a book that is an easy read that we highly recommend. You can buy it here. It does a good job whetting your appetite for 3D. And no…. we don’t not get any sort of payment on referring to his book.
Three Dimensions of 3D Coaching
There are three levels of coaching according to the 3D Model. Research from the 3D Institute shows that only about 15% of coaches get beyond the fundamentals in their coaching. Most coaches we know at ICP absolutely WANT to go beyond the fundamentals but just don't know how to do it effectively.
Let's break down these three dimensions, to help you understand how you can take your coaching to the next level.
First Dimension: Fundamentals
First are the fundamentals. It is the sport competence. If you don’t know what you are talking about and consistently spend time learning your sport, you will have a very difficult time making a career out of it. Kids will see right through you. We have and will write in depth about this as it relates to the competence C of our 3 C’s. Duke finds that around 80% of coaches do the fundamentals pretty well.
Developing their sport's knowledge base and continually updating it is the coach's core responsibility. (see our previous post on Competency for additional info on this topic!)It involves understanding the nuances of the game, the tactical strategies involved, the specific roles of each player, and the interplay between various elements within the game.
Mastery of coaching fundamentals not only includes field knowledge, but also communication, organization, and planning skills. How well can you map out your team's path to success? How effectively can you organize daily, weekly, or monthly training sessions to optimize team performance? Your ability to design and implement structured training plans, such as micro, meso, and macro cycles, while factoring in key components such as periodization, rest, and recovery, also falls under this first dimension of 3D coaching.
Second Dimension: Psychology
The second dimension (or level) is the psychology piece. It fits nicely with our “care” and “constant” C’s. This is goal setting, motivation, team cohesion, confidence, emotions. In my (Rob) work as an athletic director, a majority of the problems I deal with individual programs are second dimension issues. It is also the issues that get people fired many times. The 3D Institute has found that 70% of athletes will fail to meet their potential on and off the field/court/mat due to 2nd dimension issues. Yet, there are not a lot of coaches out there that have specific plans for the second dimension. There is a growing number that see the need, but still not enough.
Unveiling the vast potential of athletes often means delving into the second dimension of 3D coaching - the psychology. This involves unraveling the intricacies of the athletes' emotions, bolstering their confidence, and readjusting their motivation and team cohesion. In essence, developing the second dimension involves enhancing athletes' mental readiness for victory, improving their psychological resilience, and instilling in them the positive virtues that fuel success in sports.
Third Dimension: The Heart
The third dimension is getting to and coaching the heart of the athlete. This is where life impact happens, and deep transformational coaching and leadership takes place. This is where maturity with players happen and they make unbelievable progress as leaders and people If you are a person of faith, this is where the deep faith conversations and transformations take place. However, you can’t rush it. There are two reasons on why that is that we will explain in future posts. (make sure to subscribe for free at the end of this e-mail so you get notified when this post is up!)
Does it work?
The 3D Institute reports that that their research indicates that coaching all three dimensions (fundamentals, psychology, and heart), produces athletes who:
Learn skills quicker (more attentive)
Achieve higher fitness compliance (work harder)
Experience shorter rehabilitation (recover from injury)
Are more adaptable to new conditions (on the road)
Possess freedom to be creative (are "gamers")
Develop deeper relationships with other players and with coaches (learn life lessons)
We also think it develops toughness like we describe here.
For More Information
Like I said at the beginning of this post, we are big believers in the 3D Framework. However, for us, it is one (albeit big) piece of our toolkit. Free free to reach out for more conversation.
ALSO, for more information on 3D Coaching, you can go here or email Doc Beemon at doc.beeman@3dinstitute.com. The 3D Institute is an organization that provides training, certification, and resources for coaches who want to incorporate a three-dimensional approach to their coaching practice. This approach, known as 3D Coaching, is designed to impact athletes on three levels: fundamentals, psychology, and heart.And yes, we do get a small check from 3D if you sign up for their certificate.