There are a lot of different styles of coaching/teaching. Yet, how aware are you of your communication style when you coach?
Take a look at the chart below and personally assess your communication style. Where would you place yourself on this spectrum?
In having the opportunity to coach coaches over the years, I've found that use of questions is the most difficult for coaches to incorporate. Often, the only technique used is the "tell and repeat" approach.
The truly great teacher-coaches move seamlessly between the different types of communication: tell & repeat, question & listen; and, collaborate. This is the art of coaching rather than a science.
None of the styles above, when examined in isolation, is better or worse than the other, necessarily. The challenge is when the only communication tool you have as a coach in your arsenal is one - especially if that one tool is the tell and repeat... tell and repeat... tell and repeat... tell. (You get my drift. It gets tired after a while. Now, imagine how your athletes feel after 4-months of that!).
Having a chance the opportunity to watch Coach K in live action this past week, I was so thoroughly impressed with who is is as a communicator. Truly masterful teacher.
He moved skillfully and intuitively between the different styles. And, at two separate points in the practice, he stopped the group to ask an athlete this one, very powerful question: "How do you feel right now?"
1st Ask:
- Athlete Response: "Great."
- Coach K (emphatic retort): "Hey... [-----] great!"
2nd Ask (toward the end of practice):
- Athlete Response: "Tired."
- Coach K: 'Tired... you look it. Don't underestimate the importance of being in shape. Not just physically, but mentally in shape. When you step on this court you have to be ready to but your *ss out there.' [SB: He then went on to briefly speak to each athlete's approach to every possession.]
Two different athlete responses both ending with the athletes feeling good about themselves. You could see a demonstrable increased commitment to the task at hand on their subsequent reps.
There's a time for telling. A time for questioning. And, a time to collaborate. Become a master communicator and you'll be well rewarded with how much more you'll be able to yield from your athletes.
//SB
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