Coaching & Mindset
Specific Communication Means Reading The Person In Front Of You, And A FASTER Specialist Course Lists The Voice And Body Tools For It
From the FASTER syllabus: this article is taught in full in The FASTER specialist course with this lesson →
In short: A FASTER specialist course has a lesson called Specific Communication. It says to listen to what a client says, how they say it and how they look when they say it, then reflect the person in front of you. It lists verbal tools (words, sounds, tempo, volume, pitch, texture), physical tools (body language, gestures, movement, proximity) and non-verbal cues for clients who do not speak.
The short version
Two clients can hear the same sentence and take it in completely differently. The FASTER Injury Recovery to Performance Specialist course has a lesson called Specific Communication, and the idea is friendly: listen to the person, then talk to them in the way that suits them.
Key Takeaways
- Listen to what a client says, how they say it and how they look when they say it.
- Reflect the person in front of you. It is about them, not about you.
- The course lists verbal tools, physical tools and non-verbal cues to draw on.
Reading first, then speaking
The lesson asks you to analyse three things together: the words, the way they are delivered and the body that delivers them. A client who says "fine" with a tight face and a quick pace has told you something that the word alone did not. The aim, in the course's words, is to read the client as well as you communicate with them, so they want you to be the person who helps them.
The verbal tools
The course lists them like a musician's palette:
- Words and slang
- Sounds and tone, such as hums, gasps and claps
- Tempo, the speed of a sentence
- Louder and quieter dynamics, building up or easing off
- High and low tone of voice
- Texture of voice, including imitation
The physical tools
- Body language: facial expressions, posture, eye contact, touch
- Gestures with hands and head
- Movement: walking, crouching, standing
- Proximity, close or away
When a client does not speak
The lesson covers clients who cannot speak or who use different body language and facial expressions. It asks for more attention to cues that signal a change in communication. A trainer who has practised reading people has an advantage here.
Why it has to stay individual
The course is honest that there will not be patterns across every client. Different things trigger and affect different people, so the way you carry yourself and talk has to be specific and a little bit individual. It also says positive and negative are interchangeable from person to person, and the point is never to come across as patronising or demeaning. Some clients love a joke, some want a calm voice, some want you a metre further back.
How FASTER teaches it
The lesson is part of a course that is visual and interactive. You can learn by listening, reading, writing your answers or dictating them.
What to do next
Read about the Injury Recovery to Performance Specialist course. Today's Level 3 post covers the first habits of rapport, and today's PT Manager post is about sending the right message to the right clients. PT Manager opens the moment you sign up with FASTER to learn on. Adding real clients unlocks once you are qualified and on the Register.
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Frequently asked
What is specific communication?
Matching how you communicate to the one person in front of you, using what they say, how they say it and how they look when they say it.
What tools does the course list?
Verbal: words, sounds, tempo, volume, pitch and texture of voice. Physical: body language, gestures, movement and proximity. Non-verbal cues for clients who do not speak.
Is there one best style?
No. The course says there will not be patterns across all clients, because different things land differently for different people.
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