The Mentalverse ep.7 Communication
INTRO
When we talk about teamwork, cooperative tasks or tournaments, the first competence that players and staffs must have developed is communicative competence. This is essential because communication influences our everyday actions.
In the area of sport, communication is essential. This will always allow us to create a good working atmosphere among the whole team. Both players and staff members must always be in contact, and as we have mentioned before, sharing our emotions will always be a great help.
In the competitive field or training area, communication is also necessary. It is always requested to have a shoot caller or In Game Leader (IGL) within a team, since it will be the person who gives directions and orders when playing, in addition to the contribution of ideas during training or match reviews.
One of the key points in the esports sector is that players must be in contact through headphones and a microphone; this indicates the importance of communication in this sector.
ASPECTS THAT COMPLEMENT COMMUNICATION
When we talk about building a team or even an organization, we have to communicate, whether in trainings, competitions or meetings, it is necessary to assess different aspects that complement communication:
Linguistic aspects: There are moments where we have to deal with different languages because on many occasions, esports clubs tend to hire players from different countries. We must be very careful when communicating, since messages can often be misinterpreted and lead to conflict.
Cultural aspects: This is closely related to linguistics. It is necessary to respect and value the culture of our players and staff, their customs, their religion and their way of being.
Individual aspects: This is related to the personality of each player, how they deal with the different communication channels that are presented to them, what types of messages make them reflect on them, how they act according to the situation, etc.
Hierarchical aspects; This refers to the procedure that the club wants to carry out. Such as, communicating to the entire group, messages only to the captain so he/she communicates it later to the rest of the squad, or direct messages to the boss.
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION IN TRADITIONAL SPORTS AND/OR ESPORTS
On the other hand, it should be noted that within the traditional sports sector as well as in the esports sector, we find several types of communication, these are: verbal, non-verbal and written communication.
VERBAL COMMUNICATION
The concept of verbal communication is defined as the use of words, for interaction between humans, expressed in a spoken or written way. Relating this to the esports sector, the first thing we have to ask ourselves is when, where, what and to whom we are speaking to.
WHEN IS VERBAL COMMUNICATION NECESSARY?
In trainings: At this time, all mistakes, corrections, and speeches are given. This environment is calmer and more relaxed for both players and staff, so communication is usually more fluid.
At the competitions: This moment is the most complicated, at a professional level both players and staff are communicating under pressure, the atmosphere can change depending on how the game progresses, and communication is not as fluid and relaxed as in training.
External: This refers to two specific moments, such as individualized private meetings or pre- and post-match talks, carried out collectively with the entire group.
WHERE DOES VERBAL COMMUNICATION APPEAR?
Within the competition: There is a small distinction to be made here. Especially if we play in our city or outside of it. In other words, playing at home is not the same as outside.
Out of competition: Once the competitions are over, players can have the opportunity to start conversations with other players they do not know in a more relaxed and calm environment
WHAT TYPES OF COMMUNICATION DO WE HAVE TO DEVELOP?
As we have mentioned before, it is not only necessary to know about people and their mentality, in addition, both the message and our attitude when transmitting and communicating is very important too.
There are people who may have different needs when listening to a message and this is applicable to both players and staff members. This indicates the importance of assessing different aspects. Because of this, we can find different types of messages:
Emotional: The purpose of these messages is to motivate the players.
Descriptive: The purpose of these messages is to help players to identify their mistakes.
Explicatory: The purpose of these messages is to explain to the players their mistakes.
Interrogatives: The purpose of these messages is for the player to ask themselves where they made a mistake and if they have seen and understood it.
Evaluative: The purpose of these messages is to see if the error has been resolved, in addition the progress of the player.
WHO DO WE COMMUNICATE WITH?
As we have mentioned before, the way in which we communicate with other people could be classified into two types:
Individual: Communication is established with a single player. Both mistakes and negative aspects are shared individually and privately, so that the player does not feel under pressure in front of their teammates and is not experiencing stress or anxiety. It is also recommended to do it at a time when the player feels calm, this will make it easier to get feedback.
Collective/group: Communication is established with all players together. In this section, the messages are usually more generic about aspects of the game that should be discussed. Communication in this section tends to have a more positive character and positive behaviors are usually reinforced to generate trust.
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Non-verbal communication is characterized as body language, which people use to transfer messages. This can be used without expressing anything verbally, or it can accompany verbal communication to refine or give strength to the message.
Within the esports sector, this language can occur on several occasions:
Orders through gestures: They are movements or actions that are carried out consciously from the technical area to the players. These gestures are interpreted by the players quickly and efficiently.
Involuntary movements: These movements or actions are performed unconsciously. Both players and staff members must be very careful as it can harm their image. These types of movements usually express their emotions, such as happiness, anger, sadness and even rage. For this reason, it's of vital importance that they work on managing their emotions.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
In the gaming and esports sector, this communication is very present in trainings. As we have mentioned before, verbal communication is the main way, but it can be complemented by written communication.
When the coach of a team is giving coaching sessions to the players, they usually use programs, applications or even maps where they show gameplays to the players themselves, in order to be able to put them into practice, in addition to planning the training sessions and strategies that they can use.
On the other hand, written communication can also occur when we have a player from another country and it is not possible to maintain fluid communication. One of the techniques is to pass notes and even drawings of what is asked to put into practice.
CONCLUSION
Nowadays, we all agree on the importance of letting our players and staff to use a good communication between them, so it is vitally important to avoid conflicts at all times.
It is also very important to know the environment in which we work as well as our colleagues, this will make communication much more fluid and to develop a healthy atmosphere.