COMMUNICATION

TECHNIQUES
Activity: Picture Analysis
Direction: Analyze the pictures below and answer the following questions after.

I have goals
coach

1. What can you say about the pictures? How do coaches interact with their athletes?
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What is communication?
Communication is a process that involves exchanging of information, thoughts, ideas, and

emotions. It promotes the development of shared knowledge, understanding and forms. It is the
basis for initiating, maintaining, and ending your coach-player relationship. It is the art of
successfully sharing meaningful information with people using an interchange of experiences.
Through this art, coaches are able to motivate the athletes they work with and provide them
with information that will allow them to train effectively and improve performance. However, it
requires appropriate actions in dissemination, receiving and understanding the information from
the coach as sender and athletes as receiver.
Below is the communication process:
Sender- the source of the message or the person who originates the message
Message-a short communication sent from one person to another or the central
theme or idea of a communication.
Receiver-the listener, reader, or observer—that is, the individual (or the group of
individuals) to whom a message is directed.
Feedback-It is the response or reaction of the receiver after perceiving or
understanding the message
 The act of communicating involves three component: verbal, nonverbal, and
paraverbal
 
 
The coach communication with athlete’s consists of six steps (See
Figure 1.1):

1. The coach has a thought that he/she wants to tell the athlete.
2. The coach translates the thought into a message.
3. The coach conveys the message – verbally or non- verbally.
4. The athlete receives the message.
5. The athlete interprets the meaning of the message.
6. The athlete responds inwardly and/or outwardly to the message.
What Makes Communication Ineffective???

The reasons for ineffective communication between coach and athlete include
any or all of the following:

✔ The content of the message may not fit the situation.

✔ The message does not receive the message.
✔ The message does not adequately communicate your intentions.
✔ The athlete does not understand the message.
✔ The athlete misinterprets the content of the message
✔ The message itself is inconsistent.
COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES/STRATEGIES
The following provides some techniques/strategies for responding to
inappropriate comments and behavior or avoid ineffective communication
and for handling sensitive conversations that might arise in a coaching
environment. As every situation is different, not all the strategies will be
appropriate (and some may elicit anger) so you will need to exercise your
judgement, alright!
 For your Communication Tips, check it below:

✔ Be consistent with verbal, nonverbal and paraverbal messages.

✔ State your needs and feelings clearly and concisely.
✔ Separate fact from opinion.
✔ Focus on one thing at a time
✔ Avoid hidden agendas.
✔ Reinforce with repetition
✔ Look for feedback that your messages were received accurately.
✔ Give all players in your training groups’ equal attention.
✔ Communicate as appropriate to your players’ thinking and learning
styles.
✔ Make the messages appropriate to the player’s level of understanding.
✔ Ensure you listen as well talk to your players.
✔ When providing feedback, look for something positive to say first and
then provide the information that will allow the player to affect a change
or behavior or action.
 
Tips for Managing Sensitive Communication:
✔ Pick your moment carefully.
✔ Be clear about what you want to say and ensure it is relevant.
✔ Be sensitive of others overhearing the conversation.
✔ Consider whether the training environment is the appropriate place for
the conversation.
✔ Maintain a clear purpose to the conversation- are you looking to
achieve a specific outcome from it (e.g. whether your intent to raise an
issue, resolve an issue or gain some information).
✔ Be honest; if necessary, acknowledge that you feel awkward having this
conversation as this may lead to more open and relaxed experience.
✔ Draw on examples of other players’/peoples, experiences of which you
may have first-hand knowledge (while maintaining confidentiality).
Communication Tips relating to cultural diversity:
✔ Listen attentively.
✔ Explain technical terms.
✔ Keep language simple and use short sentences.
✔ Speak slowly and clearly.
✔ Make messages visual if you can.
✔ Check to see that the message has been understood-ask questions and be
patient.
✔ Give players plenty of time to respond.
✔ Recognize the influence of culture on communication styles and
meanings- e.g. the degree of directness or indirectness, formality and
informality, non-verbal/body language.
✔ Learn and use some words in the language of your player.
 DON’T
 X Shout, mumble or speak really slowly.
 X Show impatience.
 X Use technical terms, abbreviations, slang or jargon.
 X “Dumb down” your language by speaking in broken English or in an
accent.
Developing Credibility When You Communicate
Credibility is the most important element in communicating
effectively with athletes. It is reflected in the trust given by the athletes in
their coach. Initially, athletes give credibility because a coach is a coach.
However, credibility is built on “trust” and once lost, it is hard to get back.

Now, how can we build credibility as a coach? Below are the following
tips for building your coaching credibility:
1. Know your sport, be willing to learn more and be honest about what
you do not know.
2. Be reliable, consistent and fair.

 3. Express empathy, warmth and acceptance of your athletes and

where they are in their development
4. Be positive. & a balanced coach
Learning How to Listen
 Research says those untrained listeners only hears less than 20%, of
what is said to them, how about you? Are you a good listener or untrained
listener? How much of what is said do you actually hear?
 Well, listening is an integral part of effective communication but few are
ever taught how to listen effectively. For most, “hearing” is synonymous with
“listening”; however, they are two distinctly different functions.
Hearing - is a physical act; the process, function or power of perceiving
sound.
Listening - is an intellectual act; hearing sounds with thoughtful intention.
 Unlike hearing, which for most is a natural function, listening is a skill
that improves through practicing active listening techniques.
 Active listening involves demonstrating an interest and understanding in
what is being said through staying focused, asking questions, listening for
the main point(s) and listening for the rationale behind what is being said.
Being actively involved in the listening process is important to comprehend
the information effectively
Tips for improving your listening skills
1. Recognize the need to listen.
2. Concentrate on listening by giving your undivided attention to what is
being said.
3. Search for the meaning behind what is being communicated to you.
4. Avoid interrupting athletes as they are talking with you.
5. Respond constructively to athletes’ emotions.
6. Respect the rights of athletes to share their views with you. Listen to their
fears, joys, problems and accomplishments.
Some final thoughts on communicating
1. Emphasize praises and rewards to strengthen desired behaviors.
2. Positive communication helps athlete value themselves as individuals and
as athletes.
3. Be aware of the emotion expressed in your messages to athletes.
4.Set realistic goals on athletes’ athletic performance, abilities as well as
their emotional and social behavior.
5.Be consistent.
6. keep your word.

 7.Be as good as your word.