Communicating with influence: More than words - Lessons from sport’s elite

Communicating with influence: More than words - Lessons from sport’s elite

This presentation unpacks the power of communication, linking personal experiences and observations from Olympic and Commonwealth Games, to World Cups and World Championships. You will be taken behind the scenes inside the locker room on game day to unpack how high-performing individuals communicate under the immense pressure of news headlines, speculation, and whispers of discontent. These moments reveal that the true power of communication s revealed not in the comfort of success, but rather under the chaos of challenge and the pressure of expectation. As educators and leaders, the way we communicate directly impacts how safe, supported, and motivated others feel. When our communication fails, it is rarely due to the words themselves; it is often because the intended message is not received as intended. This presentation explores the pillars of effective communication (1) More than just words, (2) Body language cues, and (3) Intentional delivery. Collectively, these elements significantly influence message decoding and understanding by the receiver.