Communication
A great coaches superpower - Part 1 of 3
I have studied the world's best coaches and they share a common trait, regardless of their sport. They are master communicators.
They understand how to communicate their ideas concisely, ask great questions, and provide helpful feedback. It allows them to teach, and build relationships effectively.
Effective communication allows them to create a competitive advantage which powers their team to succeed at the highest level.
The ability to effectively communicate has a huge impact on performance and builds team culture. It can be argues that it is more impactful technical or tactical knowledge. Like many human skills, it receives little fanfare from the talking heads.
Show me a great coach and I will show you a great communicator.
Over the next few weeks, I will explore what makes great communicators and how coaches can improve this vital skill.
There are three imporant characteristics of super communicating coaches. 1.) Asking great questions 2.) Active listening and 3.) Giving great feednack.
Part 1 explores how coaches can improve the quality of the questions they ask their athletes.
The Types of Conversations that Coaches engage in.
We all spend a great deal of time engaging in conversation, our lives are filled with them. Coaching is no different, it is all about conversations. Conveying ideas, tactics and skill instruction in as effecient a manner as possible. Coaches must make athletes feel safe within the group as well as express ideas and understanding the emotions of athletes, coaches and parents.
Coaching is teaching and teaching is all about conversations.
According to author Charles Duhigg, conversations generally fall into one of three categories:
- Practical- What is this really about? These conversations convey information to the listener.
- Emotional- How does this make us feel? These conversations are more complicated.
- Social- Who are we? Social conversations explore how we relate to each other within our communities and societies (like a team).
For Coaches (and humans) the challenging part of conversations is assessing what type of conversation is taking place. When both sides recognize and engage in the same type of conversation the result is positive. Both parties will walk away feeeling heard and understood.
Problems arise when people enter into conversations looking to have 2 different types of conversation. We seldom stop to discern what the other person wants out of the conversation. When this happens both people walk away feeling ignored or that their feelings were not validated. No one feels satisfied in these conversations.
Practical conversations are vital for coaches. Tactics, strategy and instructions are vital to a team being organized and able to function in competition.
The best coaches understand that emotional and social conversations may be even more imporant. They are the conversations that build peak performance.
It took me far too many years to understand what type of conversations my athletes were trying to have.
It is also imperative that coaches engage in all three types of conversation with their teams because this shows that it is safe to have an emotional or social conversation.
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a great framework for communication that comes from the world of clinical psychology. Learning about it was a powerful force for growth in my coaching.
In addition to being a clinical psychologist, author Stephen Rollnick has been a coach for decades. Stephen Rollnick and his friend William MIller created MI.
They wrote a great book on how coaches can use Motivational Interviewing called Coaching Athletes To Be Their Best: Motivational Interviewing in Sports.
I would highly recommend it. It provides practical strategies to help coaches improve their questioning. MI is a great way to get athletes to explore their feelings.
This is done through use of the O.A.R.S. technique, which stands for Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, and Summarizing. Coaches can create a competitive advantage by becoming proficient at using this strategy.
Understanding Motivational Interviewing in Sports Coaching
At its core, motivational interviewing aims to get individuals to express their challenges and come up with their own solutions. The coach or clinician is there to facilitate not dictate.
This is especially powerful to help navigate difficult emotional and social conversations.
In the context of sports coaching, it involves creating an environment where athletes feel empowered to articulate their fears, desires, concerns, and goals. O.A.R.S. serves as the cornerstone of this technique:
- Open-ended questions (O): Coaches can utilize open-ended questions to encourage athletes to share their thoughts, feelings, and aspirations. By asking questions that require more than a simple "yes" or "no" answer, coaches can delve deeper into the athlete's mindset. For instance, instead of asking, "Are you ready for the upcoming game?" a coach can ask, "What aspects of your game are you working on to prepare for the match?"
- Affirmations (A): Affirmations play a crucial role in boosting athlete self-confidence and motivation. Coaches should offer sincere affirmations that acknowledge the athlete's strengths and progress. Such affirmations can instill belief and resilience in athletes, fostering a positive attitude towards their performance.
Effective Communication and Connection
Effective communication between coaches and athletes is essential for building trust and rapport. The O.A.R.S. technique contributes to this in the following ways:
- Reflective listening (R): Reflective listening is the practice of summarizing the main points of what an athlete says. Coaches practicing reflective listening show empathy and understanding. They validate athletes' feelings and concerns, creating a safe space for open dialogue. When athletes feel heard and understood, they are more likely to trust their coaches and engage in productive conversations.
- Summarizing (S): Summarizing helps ensure clarity in communication. Coaches can reiterate what athletes have shared, ensuring that both parties are on the same page. This technique minimizes misunderstandings and reinforces the coach-athlete relationship.
Utilizing MI can give coaches a leg up by helping clear up the lines of communication, help athletes feel validated and prevent conflict and miscommunication.
It will feel a little awkward at first but using the O.A.R.S framwork is an effective way to navigate emotional and social questions.
Resources
Books to help improve questioning.
Coaching Athletes to be Their Best. Motivational Interviewing in Sports.
This book is written by Stephen Rollnick one of the Fathers of Motivational Interviewing.
Rollnick does a wonderful job explaining the theory of Motivational Interviewing and the O.A.R.S framework.
The author also of providing coaches with practical examples and strategies that can be used with their athletes. As well, it includes Case Studies and scenarios for coaches to practice how they would respond to common situations that are encountered daily.
You can buy this book here
Supercommunicators- Charles Duhigg
This fantastic book that explores all the aspects of effective communication. Questioning, listening and the importance of non verbal communication. It is not written with coaches specifically in mind but there are so many great takeaways to help make coaches supercommunicators.
You can buy this book here
A Few Great Podcasts on Questioning Techniques
Finding Mastery with Charles Duhigg
This is another fantastic episode of the Finding Mastery Podcast and more proof that there is a direct correlation between promoting a book on a podcast and that book arriving at my house in an Amazon envelope.
The Basketball Podcast with Doug Lemov on Questioning & Feedback
This is a great podcast from last year. Chris and Doug do a wonderful job exploring the best practices for providing feedback, in game coaching and using a question based teaching approach.
Can I help you on your coaching journey?
Let's work together.
I would love to help you or your team build a competitive advantage. Here are a few ways :
- Consult with your team
- Teach mental skills via Zoom
- Work 1 on 1 with coaches
- Work 1 on 1 with athletes
Shoot me an email I love to talk coaching and see how I can help you. Coaching is hard, I will make it easier. Send me an email at jasonpayne@evolutionmpc.com
Thanks for reading and have a great week.