--- title: Your Company Is Like A Sports Team - But You Skimp on Coaching description: The supervisor is the coach at the frontline of every industrial company. Do you think you'd be a successful sports team if you skimped on coaching? image: https://www.kevburns.com/hubfs/You%20Skimp%20On%20Coaching.jpg --- Your Company Is Like A Sports Team - But You Skimp on Coaching [![KevBurns Learning: We teach industrial supervisors how to be really great leaders.](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Kev-Burns-Learning-white.png?width=240&height=118&name=Kev-Burns-Learning-white.png "KevBurns Learning: We teach industrial supervisors how to be really great leaders.")](https://www.kevburns.com/) - [About](https://www.kevburns.com/about-kevin-burns) - [Supervisor Academy](https://www.kevburns.com/supervisors) - [7 Reasons to Not Work With Us](https://www.kevburns.com/7-reasons-not-to-work-with-us) - [52 Benefits of Safety](https://www.kevburns.com/52-benefits) - [Hope Calculator](https://www.kevburns.com/calculator) - [Issues](https://www.kevburns.com/safety-issues) - [People](https://www.kevburns.com/people-issues) - [Safety](https://www.kevburns.com/safety-issues) - [Escalations](https://www.kevburns.com/escalation-issues) - [Resources](https://www.kevburns.com/books) - [Books](https://www.kevburns.com/books) - [Newsletter](https://www.kevburns.com/newsletter) - [Downloads](https://www.kevburns.com/downloads) - [Case Study NBU](https://www.kevburns.com/nbu-case-study) - [Case Study WCC](https://www.kevburns.com/wcc-case-study-2026) - [ROI Videos](https://www.kevburns.com/videos) - [Speaking](https://www.kevburns.com/speaking) - [Media/Podcast](https://www.kevburns.com/media) - [Blog](https://www.kevburns.com/blog) - [Contact](https://www.kevburns.com/contact-us) - [About](https://www.kevburns.com/about-kevin-burns) - [Supervisor Academy](https://www.kevburns.com/supervisors) - [7 Reasons to Not Work With Us](https://www.kevburns.com/7-reasons-not-to-work-with-us) - [52 Benefits of Safety](https://www.kevburns.com/52-benefits) - [Hope Calculator](https://www.kevburns.com/calculator) - [Issues](https://www.kevburns.com/safety-issues) - [People](https://www.kevburns.com/people-issues) - [Safety](https://www.kevburns.com/safety-issues) - [Escalations](https://www.kevburns.com/escalation-issues) - [Resources](https://www.kevburns.com/books) - [Books](https://www.kevburns.com/books) - [Newsletter](https://www.kevburns.com/newsletter) - [Downloads](https://www.kevburns.com/downloads) - [Case Study NBU](https://www.kevburns.com/nbu-case-study) - [Case Study WCC](https://www.kevburns.com/wcc-case-study-2026) - [ROI Videos](https://www.kevburns.com/videos) - [Speaking](https://www.kevburns.com/speaking) - [Media/Podcast](https://www.kevburns.com/media) - [Blog](https://www.kevburns.com/blog) - [Contact](https://www.kevburns.com/contact-us) # Kevin Burns Blog #### Improve safety culture. Build teamwork. Get employee buy-in. [Current Articles](https://www.kevburns.com/blog) [RSS](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/rss.xml) [Why Work With Kevin?](https://www.kevburns.com/about-kevin-burns) # Your Company Is Like A Sports Team - But You Skimp on Coaching Posted by [Kevin Burns](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/author/kevin-burns) on September 18, 2026 You wouldn't run a sports team without a coach. So why do you think you can run your industrial operation that way? Every sports franchise spends big money on scouting, medical, equipment, and facilities. They want to find the best players, give them the best development, give them the best care, and let them play in the best facilities.  And then they go out spend a huge amount on coaching  — because that's the investment that makes everything else pay off. Your company has the equivalent of every one of those departments. HR is your scouting department. Safety is your medical sciences team. Maintenance looks after the gear. And your frontline supervisors ARE your coaching staff. So, why treat that budget like an afterthought? When you take your best player (employee), make them a supervisor overnight, and 'hope' they figure out the people part — that's a Hope Promotion.  They're going to struggle. And you're going to lose while they do. Expect it. The best players want to play for the best teams. The best employees want to work for the best companies.  The best companies in your industry have the best frontline supervisors.  Let me show you what I mean. Watch the video. Meanwhile, Plant Managers, Operations VPs, Senior Managers: what does your coaching budget for supervisors look like compared to everything else you fund? Topics: [kevin burns](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/kevin-burns), [PeopleWork Supervisor Academy](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/peoplework-supervisor-academy), [supervisor development](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/supervisor-development), [industrial leadership](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/industrial-leadership), [frontline supervisors](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/frontline-supervisors), [hope promotion](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/hope-promotion), [operations management](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/operations-management), [CareFull Supervisor](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/carefull-supervisor), [coaching supervisors](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/coaching-supervisors), [supervisor coaching](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/supervisor-coaching) ### Subscribe today to Kevin's blog --- Kevin Burns' newest book, **The CareFull Supervisor**. This is the book that every frontline supervisor should read.   ![carefull-supervisor-3d-covers-400-1](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/carefull-supervisor-3d-covers-400-1.png?width=253&height=253&name=carefull-supervisor-3d-covers-400-1.png)   **BUY NOW:** [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/CareFull-Supervisor-Tools-Succeed-Employees/dp/1039197256)| [B&N](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-carefull-supervisor-kevin-burns/1144577942) | [Indigo](https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/the-carefull-supervisor-the-tools-to-succeed-and-be-the-supervisor-employees-want-to-have/9781039197268.html)| [FreisenPress](https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000383321344)| [Kobo](https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-carefull-supervisor)| Audible --- ### Recent Posts - [About](https://www.kevburns.com/about-kevin-burns) - [Supervisor Academy](https://www.kevburns.com/supervisors) - [Blog](https://www.kevburns.com/blog) #### © 2026 PeopleWork Align Inc. 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