🧭 How Teams Coach Nonverbal Communication

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Good Day, and welcome to The Growth Compass. We are like those Lego pieces that help you build incredible structures: we help you make sense of life’s puzzles, creating a strong, cohesive path forward through complexity and change.

Here’s Where We Are Headed Today:

• Negotiation Expert on Body Language

• Why Your Nonverbal Communication Matters

• How Coach K, Jay Wright, and Pep Guardiola Coach Body Language

• Tony Robbins on Body Language

• Free Mental Fitness Links 👇

• Quick Takeaways from Today’s Newsletter (TLDR) 👇

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Why Your Nonverbal Communication Matters

What it is: Nonverbal communication is how you send messages without the use of words, through your body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, and gestures.

Why it Matters: Nonverbal cues play a critical role in how we understand each other. They often reveal true emotions and intentions that words might fail to express, and they help to reinforce or contradict what we say verbally. It’s a great reminder that you can say whatever you want, but your body is telling a story that might be different.

1. Great nonverbal communication enhances understanding.

2. Great nonverbal communication builds trust and rapport.

3. Great nonverbal communication builds emotional connections.

4. Great nonverbal communication improves speaking and presentation skills.

5. Great nonverbal communication aids in conflict resolution.

What the Science Says:

1. Impact of Body Language and Tone from Mehrabian Study - Albert Mehrabian's groundbreaking research in the 1960s and 70s at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), delved into the relative impact of verbal and non-verbal messages. The study is famously summarized as the 7-38-55 rule, where 55% of communication is through body language, 38% through tone of voice, and only 7% through spoken words. This principle, especially in the context of conveying emotions and attitudes, emphasizes that body language and tone carry more weight than the actual words spoken.

2. Impact on Leadership - Conducted across various corporate settings, this study focused on the influence of a leader's body language on their perception and effectiveness. Leaders who exhibited open and positive body language, such as maintaining good eye contact and adopting a relaxed posture, were perceived as more effective and approachable. Over 60% of participants in the study rated such leaders higher in terms of effectiveness, suggesting that the non-verbal cues of leaders significantly impact their ability to lead and influence.

How Elite Coaches Coach Body Language

The art of coaching transcends mere strategy and tactics; it often involves mastering the nuances of nonverbal communication. Legendary coaches like Jay Wright of Villanova, Pep Guardiola of Manchester City, and Coach K of Duke University have exemplified this aspect in their coaching careers, leveraging it to lead their teams to remarkable successes.

1. Jay Wright During 2016 Championship Run - Jay Wright's approach to coaching during Villanova's triumphant 2016 championship run epitomized the importance of nonverbal cues. Following a surprising loss to Seton Hall, Wright initiated a film session focused solely on the players' body language. It was only 5 minutes, but he made them look at their stances, their eyes, and their aggressiveness. He ended the session saying, “Do I need to show you any more?” The team took the message and ran with it, emphasizing their one word, Attitude, for the rest of the year.

2. Pep Guardiola - Read about Pep Guardiola's insights after a draw with Everton revealed another dimension of nonverbal communication in coaching. “Mainly, lately, maybe as I get older, I look at their body language in the training sessions and everything,” he said. “Because you cannot play good when the body language is not correct.” When you have doubt between (picking) two players there are always certain things that push you one way or the other,” he says. “In a few cases, it was involved in my final decision; how they look, how they are. But not only body language. It’s not like you have a doubt and say, ‘Well, he looks up and the other one looks down a bit’. People who aren’t happy or looking down all the time or look tired — and that is not the typical situation for that player — I would call him aside and have a chat. Players don’t open up to you all the time but you can usually feel that something is not right.”

3. Coach K - Listen to how Coach K's mastery in coaching extended beyond strategy to a profound understanding of nonverbal communication. He was adept at reading his players' energy through their facial expressions, posture, and even the direction of their chin, which played a critical role in team dynamics. A notable instance of this was when he addressed Paolo Banchero’s tendency to drop his head after failing to convert an and-one. Coach K showed Paolo the tape and how it occurred MULTIPLE times and although it seemed minor, it was a sign of weakness and resignation. Through this, Coach K emphasized the importance of positive body language, teaching his players that their nonverbal expressions, however subtle, can profoundly influence the team's spirit and cohesion.

Takeaways/Summary - Your nonverbal communication, whether it’s your tone, shoulders, eyes, chin, belly, or head, sends an important message because it reflects your confidence or attitude. By focusing a bit more on your body language, you can influence your team performance and mentality profoundly, showing that nonverbal cues are as crucial as physical skills in sports.

• Observation and Communication: Spend time being more self-aware and observing you or your team’s body language. Pay attention to the shoulders, belly, chest, and head to see if they are tall and wide or shrinking. Use these observations to improve body language over time.

• Self-Awareness Through Video Analysis: Implement video sessions focusing on nonverbal cues, similar to Jay Wright's approach. Use these sessions to increase players' awareness of their body language, helping them understand how their nonverbal cues, like stances and facial expressions, impact their performance and the team's dynamics.

• Set a Standard for Nonverbal Communication: Communicate your expectations for positive body language and attitude. Follow Coach K’s example to highlight these behaviors and encourage positive change. Reinforce the importance of maintaining strong, confident body language, especially in challenging situations.

Tony Robbins on Body Language

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