017 - Verbal Communication

017 – Verbal Communication

Today’s Quick Tip Is:  Learn some basic verbal communication skills.  

These skills will attract players as much as your teaching skills sometimes.

I have witnessed it over and over with pros on my staff.

There are two types of communication: non-verbal and verbal

Nonverbal communication is all about gestures, facial expressions, body movement,  touch, and anything else done without actually speaking.

Verbal communication includes sounds, words, tone of voice, volume, and pitch are all ways to effectively communicate verbally and will make a big difference in the lesson.

In a lesson it might be:  

1. Saying students names 

2. Inflection

3. Talking the right amount

Saying students names, especially on the first day can be the most important.  Nobody likes,  “Hey you in the red shirt” 

When I was a USPTA tester, it was important to use the students name 6 times and tim, tim, tim, tim, tim, tim didn’t work.

This may be tough, but come up with a good system that will help.

Inflection was also on the test and this Is wheee your voice goes up and down

There are lots of opportunities to work on this, so with a little practice, you should be good to go.

How we speak is important, and you can even break it down to the group you are teaching.

If you are teaching some 8 year olds, the adult  comments will mean absolutely nothing.

You have to speak their language for sure, whatever that me be.

How about when or how often to talk to your students, well this might tie in with your coaching style like we talked about in episode 014

If you are a Command Style Coach, it probably means you will be doing a lot of talking while you have the group all together and while they are hitting on court.

If you are a submissive style coach, you might be a bit less talkative and let the group run the practice more on their own terms

As a cooperative style coach, there might be a little of both.  More talking during the “Huddle” but then less during the hitting, except for things like “Why do you think you won/lost that point” because this lets them give the input.

When I look up effective Verbal Communication Skills online These popped up and I tried to connect them to teaching.

1. Be friendly. 

2. Don’t talk too much.  

3. Be your authentic self. 

4. Practice humility. 

5. Speak with confidence. 

6. Learn the art of listening. 

BOTTOM LINE: Having good verbal Communication Skills is important and can make up for some of the areas you are lacking for sure. Just keep practicing in those other areas…….