Although I can’t admit to being an avid football fan, the game has been a constant part of my family life. From childhood to adulthood, a lot of stories and memories involve football, particularly Everton. The Hill Dickinson Stadium, the new home of Everton Football Club this season, is fantastic. No spoilers, but if you are from Liverpool, go on the stadium tour. If you are visiting Liverpool, go on the Stadium tour. It is so much more than a stadium.
There were lots of highlights, but the Everton players’ dressing room has to be one of them – it is the height of luxury. A stark contrast to what the away team players experience, which is minimal to say the least.
It got me thinking about how important the psychology behind environment matters. Home dressing rooms are designed to create comfort, familiarity, confidence, identity, and a sense of home.
Away dressing rooms, with their neutral colours and minimal decoration aim to reduce comfort, disrupt routine, and create a subtle psychological disadvantage before a ball is even kicked.
In the world of football, the best coaches help prepare players to perform regardless of environment. Elite performance comes from internal belief, emotional control, and adaptability, not external conditions. Great coaching helps individuals stay focused when comfort disappears.
That lesson also applies far beyond football in my world as a coach in business. Business, leadership, and life all place us in “away dressing rooms.” The strongest leaders are the ones who can still deliver under pressure.
My role as a coach in business is to help people develop their mindset, resilience, and self-belief so they can perform when conditions aren’t perfect. and no matter what environment they walk into. It is where coaching makes the difference and really comes into its own. If you are looking for support to develop your resilience in the “away dressing room” then please get in touch.
Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/55200566547
Author: NASA
