How Improving Listening Skills Can Improve Athletic Healthcare

Being is a good listener is half of being a good speaker. Americans spend 80% of their waking hours communicating. We spend 45% of the time listening, but we only listen at about 25% of our ability to do so.

Student-athletes need to understand their assignments, know the techniques of the sport and to listen to -  not just hear - instructions. The following guidelines will help student-athletes and student trainers become more effective communicators by improving their listening skills:

• In order to listen you have to stop talking.
• Listen actively. You can hear someone without really listening to them. 
• Don’t get ahead of the person talking. 
• Wait. Don’t jump to conclusions. 
• Listen to them without turning their story into your story.
• Don’t finish other people’s sentences. Be patient and do not interrupt. 
• Become a student of human behavior. Observe their nonverbal language. 
• When appropriate, summarize to show you were actually listening. 

When tending injured athletes, care providers must pay attention to details that affect decisions. Asking and listening are key evaluative tools used by all health care providers. Injured athletes need to feel comfortable and reassured by the person who is caring for them. Powerful body language, positive facial expression, eye contact and professional verbal skills are trademarks of successful people in all walks of life. This is especially true in the emotional, fast paced world of athletic healthcare.

Shop on www.sportshealth.com for products that improve athletic performance >>

Successful Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication Key to Success in Athletics

Communication is the key to successfully accomplishing any task in athletics. From the catcher’s signals with the pitcher to the coach’s pep talk before the game, effectively conveying your message is crucial. Successful leaders throughout history have been effective communicators.

People use as many as 40,000 words in a normal day. Each day we typically spend 45% of our day listening, 30% speaking, 16% reading and 9% writing. Unfortunately, most of our training is just the opposite - with most of our time being taught how to write and very little time spent teaching how to be an effective listener. Effective communication is made easier by finding what you have in common. Focus on the common goals, not the common obstacles.

Your appearance is how someone initially molds their opinion of you. First impressions are lasting ones and are often formed with the first three minutes.

Your body language conveys a powerful message. Learn to stand and sit tall. When speaking, stand firmly on both feet and make eye contact with the person, but don’t stare or will make them uncomfortable. Don’t clench your fist or tap your fingers. Take a breath; relax and speak slowly and deliberately. Avoid quick snappy answers that you later take back.

Most of what you say goes without saying; actions and body language speak louder than words.

Shop at Sports Health for more products that improve athletic outcomes >>