You have probably heard the quote “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” Attitude is one of the few things in life you can control. It’s impressive when you can show a great attitude during the toughest of times. When it comes to attitude, the majority of people think that IT is the problem, but you need to realize you are the problem. You need to realize that your attitude will come out through your constant communication even if your mouth isn’t moving.

There have been a variety of studies performed to find the percentage of communication being nonverbal vs verbal. The studies have created a variety of results ranging from the nonverbal percentage being anywhere from 60% to 93%. This number ranges due to the variance of the situation and the individual.

The precise number is irrelevant, but it is important to understand that…

Nonverbal communication is the most important characteristic of communication.

Pat Summitt and Paul George on Body Language

In sports, people will call the nonverbal Body Language.  The late Pat Summitt, former legendary coach at University of Tennessee said, “We communicate all the time, even when we don’t realize it. Be aware of your body language.” You always have something to communicate and if you are not saying anything then it is being communicated through your body language.

It is so important that Paul George brought it up in his press conference about Lance Stephenson after their game two loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, in the 2017 playoffs. “He’s got to learn to control himself and be in the moment,” George said. “Lance, in our locker room, is looked upon as a leader. His BODY LANGUAGE has to improve — just for the team.”

It is important to realize that body language is learned as children. As a child when you were disobedient then what did you do? Quite often, you probably did something to make yourself look smaller and part of that might have been to go and hide. Well, when you transition into adult hood, you can’t take that approach. When you are in a meeting with your coach, teacher or supervisor due to poor choices then you are not going to be able to take the same childlike approach. Understand, when you get older your gestures are not as intrusive as you were as a kid, but they do become smaller. Majority of the time, you will not be conscious of the gestures you are giving off at any given time. You need to realize that you always have something to communicate and if you are not saying anything then it is being communicated through your body language.

You need to communicate all the time that you’re paying attention, you’re engaged, you’re tough, and you’re eager to learn more. Great body language will make your coaches coach you more, will make your teachers teach you more, and will make an employer want to hire you one day.

4 Common Body Language Examples to Master

Here are four of the most common body language examples to be aware in your communication:

1. Postures: Most people have a limited knowledge of their respective gestures, because they think the gesture to be exactly how it is described. For example, crossing your arms is a common practice for people while communicating. It does not seem like that big of a deal. But, what you don’t realize is that the other person might think you are being closed off, negative or not listening. Research has even shown that people who are opened up retain information at a higher rate. Your physiology impacts your psychology, which will impact your emotional state. What you do with your mind, body and emotions are all linked together. You change one thing in the system and it changes something else and everything is impacted.

2. Gestures: Subconsciously you express yourself with gestures. You wave, signal, point and use your hands when you are speaking enthusiastically or arguing. You need to realize that the meaning of your gestures can be extremely different across areas and cultures.

3. Facial Expressions: The human face is able to express countless emotions without saying a word and these expressions are universal. Shawn Achor, in his book The Happiness Advantage, states that research has proven that the human brain can identify an emotion in another person’s face within 33 milliseconds, and this emotion primes the receiving person to feel the same way. Your facial expressions can impact the mood of your team, either in a positive or negative way, within a couple of minutes. To change it for the better then “Twist Your Frown Upside Down.”

4. Eye Movements / Eye Contact: When your eyes are maintaining little contact, looking at something else, or are downcast, it gives the impression that you are not really listening. The worse is when you roll your eyes at another person. That person speaking to you will begin to think that you are not interested and are not coachable.

My question for you is what does your body language say about you on a consistent basis? Does it make a coach want to have you apart of their program or does it cost you an opportunity because they cross you off the list?

– Coach Jim Huber

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Maya Angelou once said, “At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” 

I remember the bliss I felt the day my college coach taught me an invaluable lesson; if you want to learn how to do anything well in life, teach it. 

Although I have forgotten a lot in the 22 years since that encounter, I remember these things because they are behind my passion for coaching the game of basketball and teaching character development that goes beyond the court.  

Elite coaches represent themselves first as genuine humanitarians, they seek to better the lives of others and second as developers of competitors.  They always find a way to effectively communicate a positive perspective. They go beyond training the mind and body; they influence the soul.  

Exceptional coaches teach more than how to be nimble and execute plays.  They form the cornerstone of their player’s personal belief systems. Some use passionate words of encouragement.  Others use a style that makes you stretch your mind by using an uncomfortable in-your-face approach. My experience with the latter type of coach taught me to concentrate on the content of the coach’s message rather than the tone.  

Here are 10 qualities I believe all highly effective coaches share:

1. Make players feel good about themselves. 
2. Show empathy.
3. Congratulate publicly, critique privately.
4. Listen to players (EVERYONE can get better here).  
5. Explain mistakes when they happen.  
6. Stretch player’s minds to develop character (grit, passion, confidence, etc.).
7. Take personal responsibility and hold players accountable for their actions.
8. Routinely find new ways to help players improve.
9. Treat everyone fairly but not the same.
10. Expect excellence from themselves and others at every performance.

The impact my little league football coaches had on me is unforgettable and I recall those feelings to this day.  Coach Bubba called me “Flutie” because I could throw the football far like the NFL star. Coach Big O taught me how to be “nice-ty” by playing with an edge on the field and being a gentleman off the field.  These coaches always brightened my day and left me feeling empowered. In my book, My Attack Planner, they are perfect examples of exceptional coaches. 

Now in my own 5th Quarter, which is coaching basketball, my number one priority is to impart wisdom to my players.  Every lesson I teach is meant to evoke positive feelings and actions from my players.

I make it my daily mission to reach at least one player so they may experience the same powerful feelings I did as a young athlete.  As I always remind my players, “Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn. But as long as you pay it forward you never lose!”

– Coach Charlie Miller

By the way, I am also a lead camp instructor for Breakthrough Basketball.   

If you share my belief that you can coach positively, and at the same time, demand great effort and great attitude, I highly advise you check out Breakthrough Basketball Camps!

Social Media gets criticized greatly.  In reality, social media is an amazing tool for athletes when used the right way! It is important to educate younger athletes on how to use social media to learn, grow and be a positive influence on others.   

Posts on social media are public and are seen by teammates, fans, opponents, and coaches. It is in the public and anyone can get a hold of these posts. Many athletes don’t realize that the content posted on the internet can last forever.  Content can be captured in screenshots or saved by other users. Social media and all of your profiles are like your personal digital resume. College coaches absolutely love this because it doesn’t take them very long to see if they want to continue recruiting a player. 

Scholarships are not given from what’s posted, but a scholarship can be LOST quickly on derogatory or negative posts from prospects. There are plenty of stories where student-athletes lost scholarship opportunities or have faced legal charges because they posted something inappropriate.  

Here are five tips to keep in mind when posting on social media:

#1 No DRAMA!!!!

If you have drama on your social media accounts, a coach can go ahead and assume that you will bring drama to their program. NO coach wants that! So be sure to leave your drama off your accounts. Plus handling your drama over the internet is not healthy.

Unfortunately, I see this from grown adults as well. You have a problem, don’t tweet about it, don’t post a subtle picture on IG, or write a passive-aggressive status on FB. If you need to, pick up your phone and call them or set up a time to meet them in person and handle your problems in the old fashion way. The internet and social media are no place to have your drama. 

#2 Show Your Passion

Show what you are passionate about. For athletes, this one can be easy. Posting about how much you love your sport is a great idea. Coaches will eat that up!

You can also post about other things you are passionate about. That lets coaches and other people get to know the real you. Remember this is your digital resume!  But you need to also realize that spending too much time on social media can give college coaches the impression that you don’t spend enough time on the important stuff in your life.  

#3 Show Gratitude

Show gratitude for your fans, teammates, coaches, trainers, family, friends, etc. This is always a good idea. Coaches like to have players with High Character. I know multiple coaches who look for High Character players when recruiting. Obviously they want you to be skilled, but beyond that, they are looking for the intangibles.

One way to show your character is by using social media as a great platform to let others know that you appreciate them.  It’s a win-win. Others get recognized publicly and you are perceived in a good light.  

#4 Don’t Criticize (or Remain Positive, Especially After Adversity)

Don’t criticize teammates, coaches, fans, parents, opposing teams, refs, etc. Again this is an insight into your true character. So, after close defeats or poor individual performances, you will have negative remarks directed at you through social media.  Avoid falling into the trap of responding and instead, focus on how the temporary setback can be turned into a positive one.  

#5 Show Support of Others

Student-athletes can provide a positive example for other students by sending positive messages about their peers in other sports or activities at school.  Even after a tough loss, congratulating the opposition shows a lot of character.

There’s a common theme here…be POSITIVE. That will take you so far in life!  

Here a three rules to put in place to make sure you use social media in a positive way:

• Don’t Use Social Media When You Are Highly Emotional

 If you are in a negative emotional state and want to post something that isn’t positive then I recommend sleeping on it.  Allow a good night of sleep to get your emotions under control.  

• Pause Before You Post

 If it is something that you don’t feel good about in your gut , then don’t do it.  Take a moment to think about the consequences of the post. If you can’t live with these consequences then don’t post it.

• Don’t Share What You Would Not Want Mom or Dad to Read  

If you feel that your mom, dad or grandma would be disappointed to read it then don’t put it out there.  

Please, don’t use social media in a way that can cost you an opportunity that you will regret for the rest of your life!

Also, if you’d like to learn more about the intangible qualities and develop basketball skills that help players excel, check out our Breakthrough Basketball Camp Schedule.  There are different camps for all ages and skill levels across North America.

– Coach Jim Huber

Breakthrough Basketball