Hi everyone, welcome back. Today's topic is called listen. Listening is an important skill that's a key to coaching, parenting, relationships and all facets of life.
We always think about what we are going to say in response to what the person is saying. As opposed to listening to what that person is saying.
By listening we can actually hear what the people are trying to say to us and then a response will come from hearing that. I'll give you an example - when you meet someone for the first time (I'm shocking at doing this) and someone says "Hi my name is Joe", I'm thinking about my response as I'm shaking Joe's hand. As I've shaken Joe's hand I've actually forgotten that his name is Joe. And I literally forget at that instant because my thoughts are focused on my response and not to listening to what he's coming in. I know my name is Marc and I don't need to remember that my name is Marc, but that's what I'm thinking about when I'm shaking his hand.
I feel like the important part of any communication is the listening side of it and it's no different to coaching. You have to listen to what the athlete is giving you. What they are telling you, to feel what you are trying to teach them. We don't feel that as coaches and as parents it's the same if we give an instruction. We don't feel what it's like to be on the receiving side of that information. We only know the giving side of that information, so it's critical that we as coaches and parents listen to what the player has to say. They are giving you their feelings and we give them the sight and the eyes as coaches as we can see what's happening. You can then bring the two bits of information together to collate your next message.
So if you go away today and have a conversation with someone, remember to listen to what is happening, what is coming in, because that will give you what you need to respond with, as opposed to thinking of your response before they finish saying what they need to say.