I spent last night sitting in the stands at my son’s Lacrosse game. As a "Strategic" thinker, part of my brain was inevitably "what-ifing" the safety of the boys on the field, hoping everyone would walk off without injury. But the rest of me was fascinated by the coaching dynamics at play.

In sports, we take it for granted that coaches tend to naturally operate from a place of strength. They don’t put a player in a position just to fill a gap; they position them based on their natural capabilities. My son is a D-midi (yes, I barely know what that means, but this is what he tells me). As I watch him, it’s the perfect spot for him because he can read the field with his Strategic and Analytical lens and move with agility and speed to make those interceptions and breakouts - it is where he thrives and performs. 

The "Zone" vs. The "Assignment"

Occasionally, my son gets moved to the offense at face-off. Because he is a skilled athlete, he adapts. He does fine. He puts in the work. But he knows, and the coaches know, that it isn’t his "zone." It’s a temporary assignment, not his greatest opportunity for success. This is a nuanced lesson about Adaptability. 

In the corporate world, we do this to people constantly. We see a talented "A-player" and move them into a role they can do, but don't thrive in. We mistake their ability to adapt for an appetite to stay there. But when we have people in their natural "D-midi" zones—where their innate talent meets the right role—their potential is unmatched.

And this is why the role matters, but the coaching and feedback is just as important as the spot on the “field”.

The Two Faces of Effective Coaching

During the game, I watched two very different coaching styles. Our coach seems to be a developer, focused on positive energy and building team spirit, even when the boys stumble. Watching him, winning feels secondary to the growth of these young men. He is cool, calm, and collected, guiding them to their best. He delivered feedback at key moments that was relevant to their immediate performance.

The opposing coach operated differently; he came to win. He was vocal, direct, and clear with his expectations to score. He gave his team constant feedback, whether they were on the field or the sidelines, and I literally laughed aloud when I heard him say: "You can’t be cry-babies when you’re winning!" He balanced humor and authority well. When a player was penalized for unnecessary roughness, he was immediate: "That was unnecessary. Not again. That will not be tolerated." 

Although styles were different, each coach was operating from their own place of strength, and both coaches were giving their players a gift: Real-time, actionable feedback. The coaches showed up authentically and players were able to receive their feedback, even when it was blunt, because they knew their coach was working to strengthen them. They understood their roles, they knew their "zone," and they trusted the loop.

The Corporate Feedback Gap

In the workplace, we often mistake "coaching" for an annual review or a generic training session. But true professional development mirrors the Lacrosse field:

• Aligning Talent: Putting people in their natural places of talent so the performance becomes "attainable" and worth the effort.
• Positioning for Impact: Recognizing that a "Strategic" thinker shouldn't be buried in rote administration, just as a D-midi shouldn't be forced to stay on the offensive side of the field.
• Building Collective Awareness: Understanding the specific roles and strengths of every teammate is key so the group can move toward a win in unison. High-performing teams develop a "shared language," allowing them to anticipate needs and synchronize their efforts with precision.
• Closing the Loop: Providing real-time, quality feedback, training, and support aligned with both individual and collective strengths leads to sustained success. When this loop is closed, the team moves beyond individual correction to total calibration, ensuring every action makes a positive impact.

Winning Over Time

When organizations commit to coaching their employees, aligning feedback and support with the natural talent of the individual, possibility expands and the capacity for growth becomes infinite. 

The team might not win every single "game" or hit every quarterly metric perfectly, but they win over the long haul by building sustained performance, authentic teamwork, and a culture of excellence.