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Positive Coaching
Positive coaching is a hot topic right now - coaches and trainers implementing this strategy into their daily routines are seeing positive results in their client's growth and motivation. Positive coaching is taking over how to train, check out info and classes at the Positive Coaching Alliance.
" The best leaders are warm and demanding." - Celtics Coach Brad Stevens on implementing positive coaching.
Positive coaching is not just trying to act positive in a session - it's much bigger than that. It's about the way you approach situations and set your clients up for success.
While it can be argued that a little motivation and tough love can get results - it can be more beneficial and overall enjoyable for your client when you approach from the side of encouragement. Using words with positive connotations will trigger positive motivation in an athletes mind. Whereas, using words with negative connotations can turn off their motivation and have negative repercussions.
Yelling, 'you have worked too hard to give up, don't give up' may seem encouraging and positive.
You're telling them they can keep going, right?
But broken down this is packed with negative words - "give up", "don't", "worked hard" and can trigger the athlete to fail that last set.
These words bring attention to the idea of giving up and how tired they are.
Instead, using positive words like, "one more", "come on", "you got this", will have clients telling themselves that, yes they can in fact finish the set or session. It plants seeds of positivity and encouragement in their minds, allowing them to dig deeper and fight through the pain.
Positive coaching doesn't mean demanding less from your clients. If anything, it allows you to have a more dynamic and healthy relationship with them.Your intensity can remain high, but using the correct language will create an atmosphere of confidence and success.
Adee Cazayoux, owner and trainer at Working Against Gravity, utilizes positive coaching in what she calls Motivational Interviewing. She focuses on how she is communicating with her clients and provides them the space and tools to guide their own success.
Exploring Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing is a client-process based technique, founded for helping people with addictions or health issues. It is when you ask open ended questions to a client and guide them based on what they are answering. You are an aiding factor in the process, rather than an authority figure. You work together to set goals, or guidelines.
Essentially you interview them to find out what is really driving this motivation to change which allows you to implement the proper steps to achieve success.
From Adee's experience with motivational interviewing, she has learned that clients respond better when you become their advocate. This method encourages them to generate ideas and think critically about their process, rather than spoon feeding them what you think is best. Sure, they'll probably come to your same conclusion, but when get to the idea on their own, they'll become more motivated.
Boiled down - people don't want to be told what to do, or given orders without any say.
This is why motivational interviewing is so effective when trying to implement change. It gives your client the power to enact their own change.
By asking them open ended questions, it forces them to think critically about what their goals are, where they got sidetracked, and what needs to happen to get back on track. You can then help them plan the next logical steps and what goals they should focus on.
Example of Motivational Interviewing
If a client goes off their meal plan over the weekend, you shouldn't tell them they need to stop eating badly and follow the plan, because they already know that. They know they need to change, but it is hard - they are struggling and you reprimanding them will only further discourage them. Instead, ask them why they went off their meal plan.
What triggers did they have? How could they prevent it in the future from happening?
Take their answers and work with them to find a new goal or develop smaller goals to help set them up for success in the future.
You want to be a support system for your client. You don't want them to be afraid to openly talk to you about their progress. This is why creating that human relationship is crucial. Be who they confide in.
BridgeAthletic
At Bridge, we are all athletes and coaches first. As athletes, our team has experienced everything from riding the pine on JV, to winning NCAA championships, to competing in the Olympic Games. As coaches, we have helped countless athletes reach their full potential, winning everything from age group section championships to Olympic Gold Medals.
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