That stands true for teaching as well as coaching. As a coach it is vitally important that you respect your athletes. Understand the commitment they are giving the program. It is important to acknowledge an athlete's success. I will be the coach who pats them on the back for a good job, but will also get on their case when I think they can do better.
Athletes respond to different coaching techniques.
That seems to be the million dollar question these days. What I know for certain, athletes deserve respect, acknowledgment, and commitment on the part of the coach. A coach must be completely committed to a team, if not the athletes will not be fully committed to the program. It is not a coach's job to be best friends with the athlete, but it is the coach's job to provide that athlete with a comfortable learning environment. A coach who is constantly screaming at athletes will get less of a performance than the coach who screams at the right moments.