Alfred Adler (1870-1937) and Rudolph Dreikurs (1897-1972)

During my first college teaching position, about 1970, a new book hit our profession, Children the Challenge, by Rudolph Dreikurs. This book has positively affected my teaching and writing up to the present time.

 Rudolph Dreikurs Gifts to Teachers, Parents, and Coaches

Human misbehavior is the result of not having one's basic need of belonging to, and contributing to, a social group. He and his mentor Albert Adler believed that encouragement by a parent, teacher, or coach,  was essential to the improvement of a child’s behavior in social relationships.

Dreikurs believed that all behavior has a purpose. What is usually  called “misbehavior” is actually a child’s call for assistance - for help. Dreikurs’ modes for responding to calls for help are embodied in the Four Goals of Misbehavior - Attention, Power, Revenge, and Feelings of Inadequacy.

With this insight, he created an effective method for us coaches to understand our player's misbehaviors along with giving us the tools with which we can assist her in dealing positively with them.

Adding to this was his development of the system of natural and logical consequences and the application of these techniques.* Along with this is Adler’s cognitive theories on expectancy - that people manage to bring about what they expect. Encouragement and positive support have a direct correlation with improved behavior.

The Four Goals are Cumulative

Dreikurs reasoned that a player, Marcus, may “act out” based on these four "mistaken goals." If his normal, usual performance doesn't catch Coach Abel's eye with appropriate praise and Attention, he  moves to seeking Power (by “hogging” the ball?). If Coach Abel calls him out on that maneuver, Marcus may seek Revenge - by telling his teammates that Coach Abel is picking on him. If revenge does not achieve the desired response, Marcus may say, “It’s not worth the trouble” and give up his status on the team - be Inadequate.

The Four Goals of Misbehavior - according to Dreikurs

Attention

What the Player is Thinking

I count only when I’m being noticed. I will make them notice me.

How coach feels and reacts

Annoyed; reminds the player what correct behavior is.

Player’s response to coach’s actions

Player temporarily stops when given Attention – May begin again – May begin a new and different behavior.

Possible guidelines   

Ignore if possible, give attention in a different form, give attention to  positive behavior,  never give attention to a player's demands for it.

Power

What the Player is Thinking

I count only when I’m dominant - when I tell you what to do. I can do  whatever I want.

How coach feels and reacts

Angry, challenged, provoked. I’m in charge! He will do what I tell him to do or he’s gone.

Player’s response to coach’s actions

Raises his power - expects to win, to take charge - be boss.

Possible guidelines 

Stay calm and don’t react. It isn’t a battle. Establish your position. Give the player some leadership responsibility.

Revenge

What the Player is Thinking

I don’t have power now but I will get some. Coach will be sorry. She will be hurting the way I do.

How coach feels and reacts

Hurt - gets even. He can’t do this to me or to the team. I may get rid of him.

Player’s response to coach’s actions

He gets more negative - goes for more revenge - to get “even”.

Possible guidelines   Do not retaliate. Give him some positive power. Do not ignore him - build a relationship.

Inadequacy

What the Player is Thinking

I’m never going to do anything right, so why try? I deserve to be sitting on the bench.

How coach feels and reacts

I give up on Betty - she will never be a good player.  I have done all I can.

Player’s response to coach’s actions

Coach has given up on me, too.  It’s no use.

Possible guidelines 

Don’t give up, Coach. Good coaches don’t give up.  Don’t pity her - hang in there with her - find a job she can do.

The USA Softball Days

While I wrote training materials for USA Softball in the 1980s, I created the Falcons’ Softball team. Although each player is a unique person, there are some general categories that a lot of problems fall into so we can identify the roles that are being played.

Roots of Misbehavior  

The Falcons Softball Team Starting Lineup and Batting Order:

Clara the Clown                            cf

Terry the Terror                            c 

Connie the Competitor           3b

Stan the Star                                 ss

Paula the Pest                               rf

Lester the Labeled                     1b

Ollie the Outsider                       2b 

Larry the Little Professor        lf 

Bessie the Boss                             p

Substitutes:

Harry the Hopeless

Winnie the Whiner

Darla the Gifted

Judy the Joiner

Benny the Braggart

In future sessions, I will select some of these players and examine what they might do and how the Coach could deal positively and productively with them.

The fear of making a mistake leads to mistakes. — Rudolph Dreikurs

*See Blogs on Players' Rights and Responsibilities - May/June, 2022.