chapter 10 Communication

Session Outline The Importance of Communication The Communication Process Sending Messages Effectively Receiving Messages Effectively Breakdowns in Communication Confrontation Constructive Criticism

The Importance of Communication You can communicate without motivating but it is impossible to motivate without communicating. —John Thompson, former Georgetown University men’s basketball coach It’s not what you tell them—it’s what they hear. —Red Auerbach, former Boston Celtics championship coach

The Communication Process Good communication skills are among the most important ingredients contributing to the performance enhancement and personal growth of sport and exercise participants.

Purposes of Communication Persuasion Evaluation Information Motivation Problem solving Note: All communication contains some content as well as relational (how we felt about the someone’s message) information

Types of Communication Interpersonal communication (at least two persons in a meaningful exchange) Nonverbal communication Intrapersonal communication (self-talk, the communication we have with ourselves)

The Communication Process Reprinted, by permission, from R. Martens, 1987, Coaches guide to sport psychology (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics), 48.

Strategies for Improving Communication Convey rationales. Express empathy, not sympathy. Use a communication style that is comfortable for you. Learn how to become more empathetic by placing yourself in the shoes of your athletes or students. Use the positive approach when communicating. Always acknowledge the greetings of others.   Have an open-door policy for your students and athletes. Be consistent in administering discipline.

Sending Messages Effectively Guidelines for sending verbal messages Make messages clear and concise. Pick the right time and place to deliver messages. Enhance trust with message receiver to ensure messages are appropriately interpreted. (continued)

Sending Messages Effectively (continued) 2. The importance of nonverbal communication 50 to 70% of all communication is nonverbal. Nonverbal messages are harder to hide. Nonverbal messages are powerful. (continued)

Sending Messages Effectively (continued) 2. Considerations for nonverbal components of messages Physical appearance Posture Gestures (continued)

Sending Messages Effectively (continued) Considerations for nonverbal components of messages Body position Touching Facial expression Voice characteristics

Sending Messages Effectively Be direct. Own your message. Be complete and specific. Be clear and consistent. State your needs and feelings clearly. (continued)

Sending Messages Effectively (continued) Separate fact from opinion. Focus on one thing at a time. Deliver message immediately. Avoid hidden agendas. (continued)

Sending Messages Effectively (continued) Be supportive. Be consistent with your nonverbal messages. Reinforce with repetition. Make messages appropriate to the receiver’s frame of reference. Look for feedback that your message was accurately interpreted.

Components of Teacher–Coach–Leader Communication Confirming behaviors Signal endorsement, recognition, and acknowledgment to receiver Clarity behaviors How clear the receiver perceives the teacher, leader, or coach

Receiving Messages Effectively Active listening Asking questions, paraphrasing, attending to main and supporting ideas, acknowledging and responding; giving appropriate feedback, and paying attention to the speaker’s total communication (verbal and nonverbal)

Receiving Messages Effectively Keys to active listening Paraphrase what the speaker said. Don’t mistake hearing for listening. Mentally prepare to listen.

Receiving Messages Effectively Supportive listening Communicating that you are “with” the speaker and value his or her messages

Receiving Messages Effectively Keys to supportive listening Use supportive behaviors as you listen. Use confirming behaviors as you listen. Use both verbal and nonverbal listening behaviors.

Receiving Messages Effectively Aware listening Realize that people react individually or differently to the way you communicate. Tips for aware listening Be flexible. Be alert for barriers and breakdowns in communication.

Breakdowns in Communication Sender failures Poorly transmitted messages (ambiguity, inconsistency) Receiver failures Failure to listen carefully (misinterpretation)

Barriers to Effective Communication Receiver not paying attention to the sender Lack of trust between the individuals attempting to communicate Socialization and hereditary differences, causing misinterpretations between the sender and receiver Differences in the mental set or perception between people (continued)

Barriers to Effective Communication (continued) Embarrassment (creates interference) Tendency to tell people what they want to hear Difficulties in expression or reluctance to communicate Belief that silence is safer Inconsistency between actions and words

Improving Communication Carefully designed interpersonal communication training can improve team morale, cohesion, and performance.

Improving Communication Athlete guidelines Don’t interrupt. Confront issues right away. Try not to make assumptions about what others are thinking. Ask for help from teammates. Express opinions more often to people who intimidate you. Make more eye contact with the person speaking.

Confrontation Confrontation Although confrontation—a face-to-face discussion among people in conflict—is often seen as negative, when properly used it is a part of effective communication. Communication training can increase one’s effectiveness in confronting.

When to Use (or Avoid) Confrontation Don’t confront someone when you are angry. Do confront someone when you are in control, can express your feelings constructively, and have a well-thought-out reason for doing so.

Key Points to Recognize in Knowing How to Confront 1. All parties’ needs are legitimate and must be attended to. 2. There are enough resources to meet all needs. 3. Within every individual lies untapped power and capacity, and people in conflict know what they need. 4.  Process is as important as content because it provides direction and focus. 5.  Everyone is right from his or her own perspective. 6. Solutions and resolutions are temporary states of balance and are not absolute or timeless.

Dos and Don’ts of Confronting Do convey that you value your relationship with the person. Do go slowly and think about what you want to communicate. Do try to understand the other person’s position. Do listen carefully to what the other person is trying to communicate.

Dos and Don’ts of Confronting Don’t communicate the solution. Rather, focus on the problem. Don’t stop communicating. Don’t use put-downs. Don’t rely on nonverbal hints to communicate your thoughts.

Key Factors Involved in the Coach–Athlete Relationship Closeness—the emotional tone that coaches and athletes experience. Terms such as liking, trust, and respect indicate the level of closeness. Co-orientation—a common frame of reference, namely shared goals, values, and expectations. Open communication facilitates the development of co-orientation. Complementarity—interactions in which the coach and athlete are engaged. This reflects coaches’ and athletes’ acts of cooperation.

The Sandwich Approach to Constructive Criticism A positive statement Future-oriented instruction A compliment

Example of the Sandwich Approach Positive statement “Sally, you are really working hard out there.” Future-oriented statement “Next time try to slow down and not get ahead of the music.” Compliment “You’re getting there; keep up the good work!”

Steps of Constructive Criticism Describe your feelings and take responsibility for your emotions  Describe your thoughts about the action or event that concerned you   Describe the tangible reason why the behavior affects you. Describe what you want done.