Lots of coaches — especially up-and-comers — get caught up in looking like they're coaching. Filling silence. Demonstrating knowledge. Showing they're earning their spot. And they miss the thing that actually builds a player.

When I was coaching at the NHL level, the skill that made the biggest difference had nothing to do with drills, systems, or technical knowledge. It was listening. Really listening.

In this video I walk through what that actually looks like with three different personality types — the alpha, the self-conscious, and the disengaged — and why most coaches skip past this entirely.

I worked with some of the best goalies in the game, including Connor Hellebuyck and Jack Campbell. The technical stuff mattered. But this mattered more.