Enhancing Performance through Basic Psychological Needs with Professor Adam Nicholls

What are some effective strategies for leaders and coaches to communicate in an invitational manner that encourages athletes or team members to explore different options? How does Adam suggest that we should adjust our communication style to effectively work with individuals across different stages of the developmental five levels of knowing?

 

In this episode you will find an answer to these questions and many more with Adam Nicholls. He is back for the second time. Adam is a Professor of Psychology/ Leader of the Sport Psychology and Coaching Group at University of Hull.

 

His interests are:

*Anti-doping prevention among athletes and exercisers

*Psychological well-being

*Stress, coping, and emotions

*Mental health among athletes

 

The main focus of his research relates to the psycho-social factors that predict doping among adolescent athletes, along with coping and emotions among athletes. He is also interested in whistleblowing, and is currently leading an international consortium that is examining factors that influence whether individuals will report wrongdoing.

 

He has published more than 85 journal articles and written three books. His book, Psychology for Coaches: Theory and Practice has also been translated into Arabic and Hungarian.

 

In addition to pursuing his own research interests, Adam is the leader of the Sport Psychology and Coaching group. This role involves him developing a research strategy and impact case studies for the next Research Excellence Framework (REF), in addition to mentoring individuals in terms of developing a research profile and writing grant applications. Adam is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

 

We talk about:

 

00:00 Understanding and meeting psychological needs in leadership.

06:05 Maximize autonomy in training and work settings.

08:47 Tailoring stress management techniques to individual preferences.

12:57 Leadership through personal communication is more effective.

15:03 Empathize with situation, but solutions are limited.

19:17 Inclusive coaching for all levels in sports.

21:03 Encourage problem-solving, teaching requires thought and effort.

25:38 Improved teaching through planned engagement and reflection.

29:40 Navigating school choices, fatigue, and communication challenges.

31:55 Challenge individuals to develop skills and abilities.

35:30 Specific constructive feedback linked to improvement is vital.

38:00 Encourage improvement and effort, not just outcome.

42:07 Emphasize strengths, avoid comparison, embrace improvement.

44:54 Show interest, care for others, communicate effectively.

48:23 Promoting cooperation within group settings for team performance.

51:22 Feedback is influenced by the relationship.

54:16 Same techniques apply, different examples yield similarity.

 

Enjoy!