1. chapter 10
Communication

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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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)

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

8. 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.

9. 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)

10. 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)

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

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

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

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

15. 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.

16. 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

17. 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)

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

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

20. 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.

21. 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.

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

23. 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)

24. 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

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

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. 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.

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

34. 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!”

35. 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.