I have a unique learning opportunity for you today.
I came across this clip of Washington Capitals' Head Coach, Spencer Carbery, telling Ivan Miroshnichenko that he’ll be making his NHL debut.
What’s unique about it is that another member of the team is present to help Coach Carbery translate the conversation with Ivan.
Before reading on, please watch this short clip:
Now, let’s take a deeper look at the communication tactics Coach Carbery uses during this conversation.
1/ He physically faces his athletes and keeps the space between them open
Once the athletes sit on the couch and Coach Carbery sits in his chair, he pushes it back away from his desk and turns to face them.
How he benefits from this type of conversational positioning:
It makes it easier for him to make eye contact with his athletes.
It allows his athletes to see his eye contact and facial expressions and read his (full) body language.
It “shows” his athletes that he’s present (undistracted) and engaged.
It ensures his voice travels toward his athletes when he’s talking.
2/ He uses exaggerated gestures to complement his words
If you were to compare this interaction to >other< >videos< of Coach Carbery online, you’d notice that his gestures are incredibly exaggerated in this clip.
That’s important because he’s using them as a tool to increase the effectiveness of his communication with his non-English speaking athlete.
His gestures are:
Providing visual cues that enhance the understanding of his words.
Helping him convey emotions, attitudes, and nuance that his words can’t.
Helping him capture and hold the attention of his athletes.
3/ He prioritizes direct eye contact with both athletes
Coach Carbery does a great job of balancing his eye contact between both athletes.
Because “understanding” was of the utmost importance during this conversation, eye contact played a lead role.
Making eye contact allowed Coach Carbery to demonstrate his attention and focus, stay attuned to the non-verbal feedback he was getting from his athletes, and help facilitate his own active listening.
It’s important to notice that his eye contact is more than just a few quick glances. He connects with each athlete and maintains eye contact for several seconds.
4/ He keeps his communication simple and clear
When interacting with athletes who speak/understand English as a second language (ESL), it’s important to speak in a way that facilitates message tracking, comprehension, and promotes conversation.
Coach Carbery achieves this by stating his points and asking questions using as few words as possible, choosing simple words, and speaking them with precision.
This is important because:
Complex vocabulary and sentence structures can be difficult to comprehend, leading to misunderstandings.
It reduces the cognitive load on your athlete, making it easier for them to follow along with and comprehend your message.
It demonstrates respect for your athlete’s language proficiency level.
It helps build trust by making your athlete feel more comfortable and confident in their ability to communicate with you.
5/ He “shows” he’s listening
If you watch this clip without sound, you’d still be able to “see” that Coach Carbery is listening intently.
He non-verbally demonstrates his listening by:
Leaning in toward his athletes
Making and holding eye contact
Taking notes
He also verbally demonstrates his listening by repeating back what he heard his athletes say and asking clarification questions.
Good listening is an active process.
A good listener exerts as much energy as the person talking.
Is there anything Coach Carbery could have done to be even more effective?
One thing stands out to me.
I would have told Coach Carbery to direct all of his questions to Ivan Miroshnichenko.
There were a few times Coach Carbery directed his questions to the athlete who is there translating, as if Ivan wasn’t even in the room:
“How does he feel about his game?” (Better: Look at Ivan and ask, “How do you feel about your game?”)
“Does he feel like that’s gotten better?” (Better: Look at Ivan and ask, “Do you feel like that’s gotten better?”)
“Does he feel, like, ready to play in the NHL?” (Better: Look at Ivan and ask, “Do you feel ready to play in the NHL?”)
The conversation felt less impactful than it could have been because some of the conversation was taking place “around” Ivan instead of “with” Ivan.
What did you notice about the communication tactics Coach Carbery used in this conversation?
Share with me in the comments 👇
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If you’re interested in working together or bringing communication training to your team, let’s talk.
Thanks for reading!
Jenny
Noticed how the soon to be player was rather tentative or nervous at first. Perhaps because the position could have gone either way .
Then with the coach being totally focused on the appointment with enthusiasm the player became drawn in , with the welcomed prospect of being part of the team .