Inspiring Coaches

How To Win the Heart

Inspiring coaches captivate an audience. They have an instinctive way of communicating to the heart. I love listening to motivational speakers, sermons, and pregame speeches. I’m fascinated by open-air preachers who stand on street corners and speak for what they believe in. Their strategy or teachings may be questionable, but some have effective deliveries. They all make a radical attempt to reach the heart and can be music to the ear.

Music

We live in an amazing time of music. At any moment we can tune into Spotify or Apple Music and listen to what we choose. Those platforms even suggest music that we might like, based on what we currently listen to. Pandora Music was the pioneer in helping listeners discover new music. Music is therapy for me. It brings joy and gives voice to the human spirit. It too communicates to the heart.

The Voice

Public speakers, vocalists, teachers, and inspiring coaches all use their voices to move a room. They each have a way of talking or singing that brings personality to their words. The speech has a sound and rhythm that draws attention. The delivery has a cadence that energizes the atmosphere. It’s a swirl of particles that enter the soul through the senses. The change of beat and pitch with articulated words becomes mesmerizing. Music artists like Chris Stapleton, Adele, and Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull are awesome examples. High-profile podcasters like Lewis Howes and Rich Roll demonstrate this in their respective shows. Legendary Sunday Night Football commentator, Al Michaels, is a wizard with his play-by-play announcing. Their vocals and storytelling create joy for all listeners.

Crafting

Public speakers craft and continually shape their narratives. Coaches are no different. After speaking to their team, they will contemplate what adjustments are needed to help drive home talking points. The pregame, halftime, and postgame speeches are personally critiqued. Coaches frequently wonder if their message was articulated, perceived, and digested correctly. There is rarely instant feedback and every coach must lean into hope.

The Spirit

Before I stand in front of a crowd and begin to speak, I pray that God will give me the courage and strength to speak well. I ask that spirit will move through me and be delivered to my audience. I’ve done this in various ways. Many times, I have closed my eyes and bowed my head. Other times I have taken a deep breath and looked ahead at my audience.

Every time I speak to a crowd, my heart races, and self-doubt settles in like a fog. I always fight the urge to sink deeper into my chair and not rise. There’s always a desire to remain at the back of the room. Spirit is what shakes me from my spot and pushes me forward.

When speaking to a team or class, energy dances in the room. The beginning of every speech seems jumpy. It’s like accelerating an old standard Tacoma 6-speed down the interstate. Once up to speed though, I smooth out and enter a space where I feel united with the people. The moment becomes an experience with others and I’m no longer just speaking. I’m in “The Zone.”

The Zone

Operating in “The Zone” is a magnificent experience. People who create, often find themself in a state of magic, where performance becomes flawless. Some artists can remain in this state longer than others. Professional athletes operate in this space frequently. Writers, actors, musicians, and even speakers find this state of flow, where spirit moves and they become unstoppable. Inspiring coaches and teachers also enter “The Zone” with their presentations. They begin to captive an audience and win the heart.