The New Coach With Zero Experience

In the movie "Catch Me If You Can," Frank Abagnale is a con man using creative methods to secure money and fake diplomas.

With his forgery skills, he becomes a lawyer and doctor in charge of an emergency ward, despite the fact he hates the sight of blood. So Abagnale lets others make medical decisions, never pretending to be an expert — because he knows he isn't.

The movie's storyline is increasingly relevant as the Indianapolis Colts fired Coach Frank Reich last week and named former offensive lineman Jeff Saturday as interim head coach — even though Saturday has no experience coaching at the college or professional level. (Saturday did win his first game on Sunday 25-20 against the Las Vegas Raiders)

Saturday, whose team won in his debut yesterday, isn't a con man, but his only coaching foray was at the high school level for just a few seasons. He now steps into a challenging position trying to lead players and coaches who know their future with the organization is tenuous at best.

Unlike Abagnale, Saturday isn't backing down and feels he's prepared.

"Here's the deal: I'm completely comfortable in who I am as a man," he said. "I know I can lead men. I know I know the game of football, and I'm passionate about it. I have no fear about are you as qualified as somebody else. Bro, I spent 14 years in a locker room. I went to the playoffs 12 times. I've got five dudes in the Hall of Fame that played with me.

"You don't think I've seen greatness? You don't think I've seen how people prepare? How they coach? How they GM? How they work? I've won (one Super Bowl), been to two. Here's the deal. None of us are promised a good job. I may be terrible at this, and after eight games, I'll say, 'God bless you. I am no good.' I could be really good at it. I got no idea. But I dang sure won't back down. I can tell you that."

Saturday's breakdown of his resume and qualifications for the job falls perfectly in line with the Dunning-Kruger effect. Dunning-Kruger is a cognitive bias in which people with low ability, expertise or experience regarding a certain type of task or area of knowledge tend to overestimate their abilities.

He is essentially using his experience as a player to justify his readiness as a coach — even though they are two entirely different jobs.

The lesson for all of us to glean from this story is that preparation requires specificity, and that not all knowledge is the same. Without practical experience, knowledge simply is not transferable to others.

Sure, Saturday was in the locker room at one time and has witnessed greatness, but does he understand how to use, enhance and adjust it to the situation? These are practical questions that require experience to answer.

Transferring knowledge can be a dangerous, slippery slope. Had Saturday said he would use his knowledge as a player to help fuel his advancement as a coach, then his chances of avoiding Dunning-Kruger would be slightly higher.

That answer might've at least given many insight into his self-awareness and recognizing what he knows and what he doesn't.

But not all knowledge is the same; not all knowledge applies to all situations.

Frank Abagnale understood this perfectly. Will Saturday?

As leaders, we must.