Libsyn Directory

287 Is A Blame Culture In Team Sports Helpful For Performance?

Release Date: 07/18/2025

312 Dr John Perry: How Sport Coaches Influence Mental Toughness

Demystifying Mental Toughness

To end a recent series on the coach-athlete relationship, in this bonus episode of the Demystifying Mental Toughness Podcast, David Charlton is joined by Dr John Perry, Head of Department of PE and Sports Sciences at the University of Limerick, researcher, former coach and performance analyst, to explore how coaches can better support athletes through the lens of mental toughness. The conversation explores why coaches have such a powerful influence on athletes’ habits and environments, how agency and behavioural standards can strengthen control, and why confidence should come from within...

311 Learning Orientation: When Coaches and Athletes Think Differently

Demystifying Mental Toughness

In this episode David concludes the eight-part series exploring the coach–athlete relationship by focusing on a powerful concept within the Challenge pillar of the 4Cs model of Mental Toughness, learning orientation. Learning orientation reflects how willing athletes and coaches are to reflect on mistakes, setbacks and difficult experiences in order to improve. Without this mindset, progress in sport can stall and with it, challenges become powerful opportunities for development. David explores a common dynamic where a coach has a high learning orientation but the athlete struggles...

310 Risk Orientation: When Coaches and Athletes Think Differently

Demystifying Mental Toughness

Description Today, David Charlton explores another dynamic within the coach–athlete relationship: differences in risk orientation (a sub-measure of Mental Toughness). He discusses a common scenario in sport, a coach who prefers structure, routine and predictability working alongside an athlete who thrives on experimentation, creativity and challenge. While structured environments can provide stability and clarity, athletes high in risk orientation often crave variety, stimulation and opportunities to explore different solutions. When these two approaches collide, tension...

309 Interpersonal Confidence: When Coaches and Athletes Think Differently

Demystifying Mental Toughness

In this episode of the Demystifying Mental Toughness Podcast, David Charlton explores an often overlooked aspect of confidence in sport, interpersonal confidence. He discussed a common dynamic seen in sporting environments: a coach with very high interpersonal confidence working alongside an athlete who struggles to speak up. Highly confident coaches often communicate clearly and persuasively. They lead conversations, provide direction and bring strong conviction to their coaching. Yet when this confidence dominates the interaction, quieter athletes can become increasingly passive,...

308 Confidence In Ability: When Coaches and Athletes Think Differently

Demystifying Mental Toughness

Today, David Charlton explores a powerful but often misunderstood dynamic in sport: the highly confident coach working with an athlete who lacks confidence in their ability. At first glance, this combination might appear positive. A confident leader should inspire belief and clarity. However, when the balance isn't right, the relationship can unintentionally increase anxiety, self‑doubt and disengagement for the athlete. Drawing on Albert Bandura’s concept of self‑efficacy and Sophia Jowett’s 3+1 Cs coach–athlete relationship model (closeness, commitment, complementarity and...

307 Achievement Orientation: When Coaches and Athletes Think Differently

Demystifying Mental Toughness

In part 4 of this mini-series, David Charlton explores a challenging but common sport dynamic: the high achievement-oriented athlete working with a low achievement-oriented coach. The athlete is organised, early, diligent, and constantly looking for ways to improvetechnical work, gym work, extras, metrics, and a “leave no stone unturned” mindset. But the coach may appear distracted, rushed, inconsistent, late, or disorganised and may find structured goal-setting and CPD stressful. When those worlds don’t align, athletes can feel unsupported, unwanted, and even inadequate,...

306 Goal Orientation: When Coaches and Athletes Think Differently

Demystifying Mental Toughness

In this episode (part 3) of Demystifying Mental Toughness, David Charlton continues his solo series exploring the 4Cs of Mental Toughness through the coach–athlete relationship lens. The focus this week is Commitment, specifically Goal Orientation, and a common challenge in sport: the mismatch between a highly goal-oriented coach and an athlete who feels overwhelmed, anxious or uncomfortable when targets are discussed. While goal-driven coaches bring structure, clarity and high standards, some athletes experience goals as pressure rather than motivation. Fear of judgement, developing...

305 Emotional Control: When Coaches and Athletes Think Differently

Demystifying Mental Toughness

In this episode of Demystifying Mental Toughness, David Charlton continues in part two of his solo series exploring the 4Cs of Mental Toughness through the coach–athlete relationship lens. The focus this week is Emotional Control and a common but misunderstood dynamic in sport: the emotionally reactive coach and the calm, composed athlete. While passion and intensity are often seen as leadership qualities, strong emotional reactions, sarcasm or outcome-focused language can unintentionally create a fear-based environment. When athletes feel judged or humiliated, the brain’s threat...

304 Life Control: When Coaches and Athletes Think Differently

Demystifying Mental Toughness

In this episode of Demystifying Mental Toughness, David begins a new eight-part solo series exploring how mental toughness shapes the coach–athlete relationship in sport. Today’s focus is Life Control — a part of mental toughness that influences whether people feel able to shape what happens to them, or whether life simply “happens” to them. David explores one of the most common and frustrating mismatches in sport: the high life-control coach and the low life-control athlete. High-life control coaches are driven, organised and solution-focused. They believe effort changes...

303 Why You Think the Way You Do Under Pressure

Demystifying Mental Toughness

In part 2, David Charlton is again joined by Doug Strycharczyk from AQR International to explore how mental toughness shapes the way we make decisions especially when information is incomplete and pressure is high. Doug explains that confidence is not just about believing in your skills, but also about having the interpersonal confidence to work with others, challenge ideas, and avoid the trap of groupthink. In teams and organisations, those with higher interpersonal confidence are more likely to think divergently, question assumptions, and protect ethical decision-making rather than simply...

More Episodes

David Charlton and Duncan O'Brien discuss the emotional challenges in football, focusing on blame, shame, guilt, and anger in this week’s episode of Demystifying Mental Toughness. Duncan, influenced by Brene Brown's work, emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and collaboration in coaching. He highlights the need for coaches to create supportive yet challenging environments, using tools like Clean Language to foster self-awareness and resilience. They explore how emotions like shame can manifest in players, affecting their performance and behaviour. The conversation underscores the significance of coaches communicating effectively and setting clear expectations to help players navigate stress and criticism, ultimately fostering a more supportive and effective coaching dynamic.

Key Learning Points:

· Explore using clean language techniques in football coaching to help players develop self-awareness.

· Encourage players to ask questions of each other rather than giving direct orders or criticism during challenging situations.

· Educate coaches and players on the difference between shame and guilt, and how to address feelings of shame in a constructive way.

· Mistakes are common in football and pointing the fingers, blaming can lead to guilt, impacting players' confidence and bravery.

· Vulnerability is essential to encourage courageous behaviours and collaboration, however it is dependent on the relationship and trust developed between coaches and players.

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