BODY LANGUAGE DOESN’T WHISPER, IT SCREAMS
Champions communicate their desire and their commitment to winning in many ways. And while the words they speak are important, typically their most powerful messages don’t require their voice. It’s their body language that so often and so powerfully clarifies who they are and what they’re after. If you’re someone working to win in some important area of life today, it’s worth stopping to consider what messages your body language may be communicating, and whether you’re saying what you think.
Your body language is so important because, most of the time even more than your words, it clarifies who you really are and what you’re really after. It’s easy to say the right things, but the reality of how you choose to carry yourself, how you choose to interact with others, and how you choose to handle those challenging moments and difficult circumstances that come with doing anything big and important reveals the truth. It validates some important questions that each of us have to answer…
Are you mentally tough or mentally weak?
Are you a great teammate or a bad teammate?
Are you coachable or uncoachable?
Are you bringing positive energy or negative energy?
Are you focused on the previous play or focused on the next play?
Are you committed to winning or committed to comfort?
If you’re serious about becoming a champion, then the answer to each of those questions is obvious, isn’t it? Champions are mentally tough. They are great teammates and they want to be coached. They bring a positive energy to their work and relationships. They don’t dwell on the previous play. They are focused on the play that matters, the only one they can control - the next play. And their commitment to winning far exceeds their commitment to comfort. The champion has answered each of those questions for him or herself, and their body language validates it for everyone to see.
That’s the other reason your body language is so important, because there’s no hiding it. Body language doesn’t whisper, it screams. It eliminates the mystery about who you are and what you’re after. Your teammates don’t have to question if you really want to win or if you’ve really got their back. Your body language tells them. Your coaches don't have to question if you’re committed to listening, learning, and improving. Your body language tells them. Your opponents don't have to question your level of toughness. Your body language tells them. How you choose to carry yourself, how you choose to interact with others, and how you choose to handle those challenging moments and difficult circumstances answer the questions loud and clear. Your body language is a billboard, with bright marquee lights and big, bold letters, that clarifies who you are and what you’re after for all to see.
If you’re an athlete, it’s important for you to recognize the important part your body language plays…in both success and failure. Players who take ownership of the positive energy they bring each day, the positive interactions they have with those around them, and the positive response to challenging moments and difficult circumstances separate themselves from the crowd. They are unique and set apart, and coaches notice. If you need proof, check out these clips from two of the best coaches in college basketball, Geno Auriemma and John Calipari. If coaches at the highest level are paying this kind of attention to their players’ body language, don’t you think it’s something you should pay attention to, too?
If you’re a parent, a coach, or any other kind of leader charged with bringing out the best in others, then you’re not off the hook, either. Your body language matters, too. Just like an athlete, the words you speak are important, but your body language even more often and more powerfully clarifies who you really are and what you’re really after. It has a huge impact on those you’re leading. If you need proof, check out this clip from NBA star Draymond Green. He talks about the role his coach’s body language played in his and his team’s performance. Each of us has to make sure we’re modeling the winning behavior we expect from those we’re leading. As coaches and parents, sometimes that’s easier said than done.
No matter who you are or what role you play, recognizing the importance of your body language is the first step in managing it. That’s what it takes a lot of the time - managing it, so that it isn’t allowed to manage us, and in the process to distract us from our most important work. So be mindful and intentional about your body language. Choose to carry yourself, to interact with others, and to handle the challenging moments and difficult circumstances like a champion. Make sure that message is loud and clear for all to see.