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Studies, research and conventional wisdom all show that the ability to effectively communicate with others is a defining difference between highly successful and less successful people. This is true for coaches, players, executives, senior staff, and support staff and is built upon a win-win philosophy. Core skills are listening, questioning, giving and receiving feedback, conflict management negotiation and personality and emotional intelligence. Primary sports applications are coach-to-player, player-to-player, coach or player-to-team as well as with and among department staff and organization constituencies-fans, media, community and general public

These topic areas can be delivered in one or more of these forms of service: assessment, consulting, coaching, training or presentations.

Better Listening Applied to Sports

The ability to be an effective listener-with both the head and the heart, along with questioning skills, establishes the foundation of interpersonal excellence. This practical how-to training provides information about why most people do not get an “A” or “B” in listening, the four stages of listening, and the six logical steps for improved listening-The Listening Ladder including listening tips for each rung on the ladder.

The Eight Powers of Questions Applied to Sports

Have you ever:

1. Stepped back and made note about why some people are more interpersonally effective than other?
2. Considered how and why questions carry power?
3. Learned how to master the art of asking the right questions in the right way?

This topic identifies the eight powers of questions with examples of each in sports. Also included is a list lists the 14 common situations that can waste time, lead to confusion, conflict or frustration and provide sample questions to pose for each situation.

NOTE: This can be exclusively focuses on additional critical questions to ask in the recruiting process; questions that provide a better sense of a recruits background, character, motivation and resiliency to succeed.

The Art of Giving Positive Reinforcement In Sports Settings

Following a quick overview of the primary purpose of feedback and the three other types of feedback-silence, personal attack and constructive advice; this topic will focus on the skills for giving positive reinforcement. Although most often positive by intent, giving positive reinforcement can have the opposite effect if the right set of words, at the right time for the right reason are not used. Specific do’s and don’t are given along with a useful checklist and list of credit giving possibilities. The intent here is not to develop “charm school” coaches and organization leaders but rather to strengthen the harder skills of being specific and authentic in order to increase the odds of repeat solid performance. \

The Art of Giving Constructive Advice in Sport Settings

Following a quick overview of the primary purpose of feedback and the three other types of feedback-silence, personal attack and positive reinforcement; this topic will focus on the skills for giving constructive advice. To improve and grow we all need to understand what we need to do more of, less of, stop doing and start doing. This feedback can come from formal authority figures (coaches) or others (teammates). The key is to communicate the feedback in ways that highly increase the odds the recipient will listen and make adjustments.

How to Receive and Evaluate Feedback in Sport Settings

How well do you handle constructive advice or criticism? Do you know and use the three assertive techniques for handling criticism? How about accepting positive feedback? Do you know how to assess for the validity of feedback? Who you get the “truth about your performance” from and do they know what they are talking about? How effective are you at using skills that encourage others to give you valuable, timely feedback? This topic gives answers to these questions about receiving feedback in ways that balance openness while managing the process.

Strategies and Steps for Managing Conflict in Sports Settings

Conflict is fundamental to human nature in nearly every sports in which we are involved This reality makes the ability to manage conflict effectively, individually and at the team level, worth its weight in gold. This topic provides applicable information about the

1. Sources of conflict
2. Five conflict strategies and pluses and minuses of each
3. Negative and positive conflict cycle
4. Eight steps for dealing with conflict

The Win-Win Model of Negotiating in Sports Settings

A win-win negotiation philosophy in sports settings creates relationships that last, are trustworthy and produce a greater good for the greater whole. This topic presents the win-win negotiations model and how to integrate the following skills in its use: listening, questioning, data gathering, problem solving, innovative thinking, managing conflict, a give & take approach, planning and taking action.

Completion and Applications of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) in Sports

Many coaches, athletes and leaders in sports organizations have completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) with its 16 personality types and description of each type. Also, given that the MBTI is the most widely used and researched personality inventory world-wide, after learning about their MBTI scores and type description a high percentage say, Yep! That’s me.” Yet too often it stops there when the true value is learning how to use this self-discovery to be more effective with teammates, coaches, and administrators. Common MBTI are:

1. Conflict Management
2. Time Management
3. Negotiations
4. Managing Change
5. Managing Stress
6. Working in Team
7. Athletic Performance Improvement