SportsTurf

March 2015

SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.

Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/460594

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 5 of 51

FROM THE SIDELINES J osh McPherson, CSFM, the direc- tor of sports turf management at the University of Missouri, recently filmed a video (not yet released to the public) on Positive Coaching. Mizzou has started a Positive Coaching Institute and offers summer seminars and graduate degrees in the subject. McPherson says Positive Coaching doesn't just apply to athletes. "The principles can be applied to the management of any employee as well. Since I started managing with the principles of Positive Coaching we have seen an improvement in employee morale, work ethic and we have even influenced improved perfor- mance on the field with the student athletes we interact with," he says. Positive Coaching's objectives include learning how to create a positive work envi- ronment where employees will thrive, become independent and more productive. I asked McPherson to tell us more: Can you describe some of the techniques you learned at the seminar and how you have imple- mented them? "Celebrate the positive things that hap- pen and don't dwell on the negative. We will make corrections but we do not get down on anybody when a mistake happens. When someone does something right we celebrate it and talk about what a great job they did. "When complimenting someone we use specific examples of what they did right. We don't just say 'great job,' we say 'great job on how you mowed the infield' or 'great job on how clean the edges of the field look'. "Everyone has different things that moti- vate them and you must realize that you cannot manage everyone the same way. Find out what each individual's motivation is and use that to your advantage to help find a pur- pose in each day that they work." How does positive coaching affect your rela- tionship with your full-time staff? "I have total buy-in from my two full time employees, Jerry Cummings and Philip Dierker, and they help support the mission of providing a Positive Coaching environ- ment." Can you expand on the idea that you have become more important in students' lives beyond teaching them about turf management? "I don't believe that it is a badge of honor to miss a birthday party or a wedding or important life event to grow grass for a liv- ing. I am trying to teach the students how to work hard and play hard. Work is a very important part of life but having a life is also important. I am trying to show them what it means to be a parent and how I treat my wife and kids. I like having my family around at work so they can see that interaction. "My son Axel took his first steps at a soc- cer game and three of the students were there when it happened. I work many hours and many weekends but I will trust them to be in charge if the opportunity presents itself. They get the feeling of being in charge and making decisions but they also get to see that I can go away and things will be fine with the grass. I want them to see that you don't need to yell at someone to get them to work, and I hope that they remember the way they were treated and will treat people they manage similarly once they are in charge." ■ ST Eric Schroder Editorial Director eschroder@specialtyim.com 717-805-4197 6 SportsTurf | March 2015 www.sportsturfonline.com EPG Media & Specialty Information 3300 Fernbrook Lane N, Suite 200, Plymouth, MN 55447 The Official Publication Of The Sports Turf Managers Association President: Allen Johnson, CSFM Immediate Past President: David Pinsonneault, CSFM, CPRP President-Elect: Jeff Salmond, CSFM Secretary/Treasurer: Timothy Van Loo, CSFM Vice-President Commercial: James Graff Professional Facilities: Dan Bergstrom Academic: Jeffrey Fowler Higher Education: Matt Anderson Parks & Recreation: Sarah Martin, CSFM K-12: Bobby Behr, CSFM Commercial: Doug Schattinger Elected-at-Large: Jimmy Simpson, CSFM Elected-at-Large: David Anderson Chief Executive Officer: Kim Heck STMA OFFICE 805 New Hampshire Suite E Lawrence, KS 66044 Phone: 800-323-3875 Fax: 800-366-0391 Email: STMAinfo@STMA.org www.STMA.org EdITORIAL Group publisher: David Voll Editorial director: Eric Schroder Technical Editor: Dr. James Brosnan Art director: Brian Snook Production Manager: Karen Kalinyak Stma Editorial Communications Committee Chairman: Brad Jakubowski; Tyler Clay; Jim Cornelius, CSFM; Mark Frever, CSFM; Jamie Mehringer; Scott Stevens; and Brad Park SportsTurf (ISSN 1061-687X) (USPS 000-292) (Reg. U.S. Pat. & T.M. Off.) is published monthly by EPG Media & Specialty Information at 75 Pike Street, Port Jervis, NY 12271. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sportsturf, PO Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823. For subscription information and requests, call Subscription Services at (847) 763-9565. Subscription rates: 1 year, $40 US & Poss.; 2 years, $65 US & Poss.; 1 year, $65 Canada/Foreign Surface, 1 year, $130 Airmail. All sub- scriptions are payable in advance in US funds. Send payments to Sportsturf, PO Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076- 7823. Phone: (847) 763-9565. Fax: (847) 763-9569. Single copies or back issues, $8 each US/Canada; $12 Foreign. Periodicals postage paid at Port Jervis, NY and additional mailing offices. COPYRIGHT 2015, SportsTurf. Material may not be reproduced or photocopied in any form with- out the written permission of the publisher. POSITIVE COACHING FOR STAFF

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of SportsTurf - March 2015