Communication Lessons from Coaching Conversations #2
Featuring Ron Washington - MLB Coach and Manager
To get the most out of this post, read it when you have 40 minutes available. I promise it will be worth it.
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Late last year, the Los Angeles Angels hired 71-year-old Ron Washington as their Manager.
Admittedly, I don’t know much about Ron Washington, but based on the two clips we’ll be reviewing today and others I watched while writing this post, he is one hell of a coach.
You’ll be watching two clips of Ron.
He’s coaching the same fielding drills in each, but who he’s coaching is what makes this a neat comparative learning experience.
In the first video, Ron works with Chris Dimino (Atlanta radio host) — an amateur fan.
In the second video, Ron works with Ozzie Albies — second baseman with the Atlanta Braves.
A few notes before you watch the clips:
You don’t have to be a sport coach to benefit from this post. All of us do some sort of teaching or coaching, whether it’s with people we manage, our co-workers, our clients, or our children.
The first video is ~17 minutes and the second ~12 minutes. No, you don’t have to watch each in full, but if you’re like me, you’ll be so enthralled with Ron’s coaching that you won’t want to stop.
Pay less attention to the specifics of the drills and more to how Ron teaches and coaches them. What similarities AND differences do you notice in Ron’s coaching approach and style while working with Chris (amateur) and Ozzie (professional)?
While watching, ask yourself: “How does this compare to how I teach and coach the people I work with?”
At the end of the article, I’ve included a third video of another coach working through similar drills with his athletes. I invite you to share your analysis in the comment section of this post.
Video 1: Ron works with Chris (amateur)
Video 2: Ron works with Ozzie (professional)
What can Ron teach you about being a better coach?
1/ He uses repetition
Repetition breeds retention.
Repetition breeds retention.
Repetition breeds retention.
Ron’s success as a coach depends on his ability to get his athletes to recall and apply these skills in performance settings — when he’s not there to tell them what to do.
Repetition is his tool of choice.
There are a lot of benefits to repeating yourself:
It clarifies instructions for your learner. You should repeat cues, techniques, and key concepts using as few words as possible. Because there are a lot of variables present when learning something new, learners need to hear cues/techniques/concepts several times in order to fully understand them.
Repetition will draw your learner’s attention to what matters most. If your learner hears you say the same thing over and over, they’ll assume that point is more important than others.
Verbal repetition will help your learner stay present and ready for the next rep. We tend to be self-critical when learning new skills. Verbal repetition of cues/techniques/concepts helps keep our attention focused on our actions instead of our criticism of those actions.
Verbal repetition facilitates skill acquisition by reinforcing the neural pathways associated with performing the skill.
So, why isn’t verbal repetition used more in teaching and coaching settings?
You might hear people say…
“They should be paying attention enough that I don’t have to repeat myself.”
“I don’t want to be annoying.”
A teacher or coach who understands how learning happens wouldn’t say these things.
These statements come from a place of ego, apathy, and low self-esteem.
2/ He makes clear statements
No filler words — um, uh, you know, right, etc.
No hedging language — maybe, sort of, kind of, etc.
I talk a lot about filler words and hedging language because their presence can change the impact of your words.
Imagine how much less impactful Ron’s teaching and coaching would be if it was littered with filler words and hedging language.
“So, um, I want you to tilt your glove back — sort of like this — and kind of make a swooping motion forward. You know?”
Don’t underestimate how much Ron’s clear communication contributes to his ability to instill confidence and get buy-in — and the same goes for you.
3/ He uses a “Do-Don’t-Do” coaching approach
“Do it like this… Not like this…. But like this…”
This approach is a simple way to communicate context.
David Foster Wallace told this story in his 2005 commencement address at Kenyon College:
There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?”
To know the “right” way, we also need to know the “wrong” way.
Using this approach will also proactively answer some of learner’s initial questions about how the skill is performed.
The keys to doing this well:
Pair with a physical demo (if possible)
Keep your cues simple and concise (don’t over-explain!)
Use the same cues/words every. single. time.
4/ He physically maneuvers Chris into the exact positions he wants him in
Touch is a touchy topic, but it’s a crucial component of physical skill development.
So long as you have consent and are clear in how you’ll be using touch, use it!
» Here’s a perfect example of what asking for consent sounds like «
Think of physical touch as verbal repetition’s sibling.
There are several benefits to using physical touch as a coaching tool:
It draws your learner’s attention to their physical body (body awareness) which helps them feel the correct positions and movements related to the skill.
If you use touch to make minor adjustments while your learner practices the skill, they can more easily differentiate between how “right” and “wrong” feels.
The tactile sensation of touch can help keep your learner engaged in the skill development process.
When used appropriately and with consent, touch can build trust between you and your learner and create a positive association with that learning environment.
It’s especially powerful if used when language barriers are present. It can “teach” what your words cannot.
5/ He visually demonstrates what he wants
In both clips — but especially when Ron is coaching Chris (amateur) — we see Ron visually demonstrating the exact positions and motions he wants to see.
If you do any sort of skill coaching, you need to use visual demonstrations. And if you can’t demonstrate the skill, either ask another capable person or show a video example.
Visual demonstrations are powerful because:
They give your learner something to emulate. They offer a clear model to follow which will help your learner grasp the mechanics and techniques.
They’ll help you (the coach) teach the skill because being “in your body” will help you more accurately describe the positions, shapes, motions, and feelings for your learner.
If done slowly, demonstrations can help your learner visualize the sequence of movements needed to execute the skill properly.
If done at speed and with intensity, demonstrations give your learner a clear visual of what they’re working toward and what it looks like at a macro level.
When you show your learner that the skill can be done, they think: “I can do that, too.” It helps motivate them and instill confidence.
Similar to verbal repetition, visual demonstrations enhance retention and recall.
6/ He uses his physical presence and voice to set the “tone” for the session
What stood out to me most about these clips was that Ron treated his session with Chris (amateur) with the same level of respect and intensity as his session with Ozzie (professional).
He coached Chris as if he was his own athlete.
It says a lot about Ron’s respect for the game and his identity as a coach.
When coaches show up with presence, intensity, and respect for their learner, the learner has no choice but to follow suit.
Give what you want to receive!
To wrap up on Ron…
Good coaching is good coaching no matter the skill level of the athlete or learner.
You saw Ron successfully teach and coach two very different learners through the same drills.
His principles were the same for each, but his approach was tailored to their experience level, knowledge base, physical abilities, expectations, goals, and level of self-confidence.
Now, it’s your turn!
Watch this clip of Kai Correa coaching his athletes through similar fielding drills, and tell me in the comments how his coaching approach differs from Ron’s.
If you enjoyed this post, please hit the ❤️ button and share it with someone who might enjoy it, too.
If you’re interested in working together or bringing communication training to your team, let’s talk.
Thanks for reading!
Jenny