Janis Meredith of Raising Champion Families has an interesting take on the importance of body language. Janis shares that, "In 1971, psychologist Albert Mehrabian published 'Silent Messages', which included his pioneering research on nonverbal communication. When it comes to credibility, Mehrabian found that we assign 55% of the weight to body language, 38% to tone, and 7% to actual words (Whisper, Mark Batterson)."
Parents and coaches, when you are out there on the field or court, please make sure your body is sending positive messages. Here are some positive body language that you can work on:
- Maintain eye contact as it shows that you are in the moment with them
- Reach out and touch your child to show them that you care
- Nod your head and smile to show your affirmation
Here are some things to minimize when watching a game:
- throwing up your hands in the air
- scowling
- shaking your head
- pacing the sidelines
Positive communication both verbal and non-verbal enhance connections between people. But if your verbal and non-verbal connections are not in sync, your non-verbal message according to research is what will be believed.
For more details: What Does Your Child Hear When They Read Your Body Language?
Image Credit: Deposit Photos
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