Communication

Dimensions of Communication

• Sending / Listening
• Verbal / Nonverbal
• Content / Emotional

Reasons for Ineffective Communication

Communication styles

COMMAND STYLE

• As you would expect, the command-style coach communicates in an aggressive way by order-ing athletes to do whatever he wants them to do, often accompanied by intimidating body language. Command-style coaches do most of the talking and little listening, and when things go wrong, they accuse and blame.

SUBMISSIVE STYLE

• The submissive style, which allows others to dominate the conversation, is far less prevalent among coaches, although it does exist. Submissive-style coaches seldom express their own view-points and will tend to express agreement, even when they don’t agree. They are uncertain, speak in a soft voice, and qualify what they say with perhaps, maybe, hopefully, and other such tentative terms. They beat around the bush and express nonverbally their lack of confidence. They avoid direct eye contact and stay at a distance from those with whom they are speaking.

COOPERATIVE STYLE

• Cooperative-style coaches communicate in a straightforward, positive, and confident way and allow and encourage others to do the same. These coaches don’t play games in their communication but take the initiative to make things happen. They speak up and are direct and constructive, focusing on moving the team forward in a positive way. Cooperative-style coaches are good listeners, seeking to understand what the other person is striving to communicate, and thus encourage two-way communication.

COMMUNICATING WITH A POSITIVE APPROACH

• The positive approach emphasizes praise and reward to strengthen desirable behaviors
• The positive approach helps athletes value themselves as individuals, and in turn it gives you credibility.
• Positive communication is not all praise.
• The positive approach is an attitude that you communicate in both verbal and nonverbal messages.

Recommendations

• Provide honest, direct, and constructive messages.
• Embrace an attitude in which you look to catch your athletes doing good or right, and then tell them they’ve done so
• Avoid sarcasm and put-downs, but at the same time don’t sugarcoat athletes’ behaviors by falsely putting a positive spin on them.
• Emphasize what can be done, not what cannot be done, and avoid language that dwells on problems; instead use language that focuses on solutions.
• Seek to build character rather than destroy it.