Coaching is about connections. It’s about relationships. It’s about creating space for our girls to struggle, grow, and soar. Every practice holds the space to listen, question, awaken, and strengthen. We listen to our girls and awaken confidence. We question and strengthen belief. As a coach, how we show up with our words, actions, and energy determines how the practice will feel and be experienced by everyone, including our own selves. Some of our best coaching skills come out through our verbal and nonverbal voice. In this episode of IGNITE, we will discuss the important ways our Champion Voice grows connections and strengthens relationships.
I have had some difficult classroom situations. One particular classroom situation I remember was 2nd grade, and it was probably my first or second year teaching. I was definitely new and definitely losing control of the class, the lesson, the learning, the whole space, including myself. I was yelling, overly gesturing, kids are laughing and crying. It was a mess! This is what was happening under the surface- I was extremely focused on getting the lesson finished and wanting everyone to hear it and do it the way I envisioned. I stopped listening with my ears AND eyes. I stopped questioning what the class needed- a break, a different explanation, or buddy help. When we switch on our active listening and adaptive listening skills, the team feels the energy they can trust and feel safe in. It guides our eyes and ears to listen to the present moment needs. It hears disinterest, confusion, excitement, and boredom. Paying real attention to the current moment allows space for nonjudgement and less pressure. It adapts our behaviors and words to meet the current needs of the team. We will see in these moments that starting laps early gets chaos under control. We will see the girl(s) who need a personal walk-and-talk with a friend or coach. Actively listening with our eyes and ears validates feelings, encourages openness, and fosters collaboration. It guides our Champion Voice!
Being attentive in the present moment opens space for natural curiosity, powerful questioning, and impactful sharing. With our Champion Voice we inquire and reflect. We build and connect. Coaching is about connections and relationships. Being naturally curious about our team, gives opportunities to learn and adjust. We learn one is struggling with family arguments or another is struggling with friendships. We learn one needs snacks for energy and another needs water breaks for motivation. Being attentive, building connections, and strengthening relationships is how we recognize our own star power and own our responsibility to empower and celebrate our team. Some of the best lessons I have taught and coached were the result of me only asking questions and having zero answers. It empowers our team’s voice, guides our decision-making, and builds rapport throughout the team and practices. Our Champion Voice guides the team through the journey!
Our Champion Voice includes our verbal and nonverbal voice. Sometimes it isn’t what we say, it is how we say it that makes the impact. As cliche as it sounds, it is entirely true. Our gestures and body language say an abundance more than our words, especially at the end of a day when our and their noise input is hitting it’s max. Consider all the people, conversations, and interactions that are experienced by our evening time. Consider more, the non-human interactions that are peaking as well. Everyone has experienced quiet, noisy, soft, hard, anger, joy, sadness, laughter, chaos, and calm all by 5pm. Our coaching voice can sometimes become just another voice in the day. Use your body language to speak for you. I have had practices where giving simple directions for warm ups is challenging to hear or pay attention to. Try doing the warm up without speaking and only using gestures and movements. It gives the ears a break and gives us the opportunity to shift the energy to silly and fun instead of frustration and irritation. By using our body language to speak our Champion Voice, we build connections. Making eye contact with a smile creates an invisible string of compassion, acceptance, and encouragement. High fives, side hugs, and fist bumps require zero words to speak inspiration, empowerment, and love. Our non-verbal Champion Voice will speak louder in the significant moments when needed the most in our mountain moving journeys.
Our Champion Voice ignites connections and bonds relationships. It is what lays within our coaching heart for us to recognize how powerful we are with our words and movements- no matter how we move! We are showing our team how we can move mountains in our best ways with our Champion Voices and bodies!
Watch Now: Episode 49: IGNITE Your Inner Voice
RESOURCE LIST TO IGNITE YOUR CHAMPION VOICE:
- CUES: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication by Vanessa Van Edwards
- The Definitive Book of Body Language by Alan and Barbara Pease
- Say Something by Peter H. Reynolds