Coachability
Coaches: Make Feedback Usable Under Pressure
When pressure increases, athletes may hear several urgent instructions but have only enough time to execute one clear next action. Try the original IBE Coach Cue Audit exercise, with complete steps and research references.
When pressure increases, athletes may hear several urgent instructions but have only enough time to execute one clear next action.
This free IBE Performance guide gives coaches and coaching staffs a practical 20-minute starting point. The routine is an original IBE instructional application, not a clinical treatment, validated instrument or guarantee of a performance outcome.
What the research supports—and what it does not
The attentional-focus literature supports careful cue design for motor tasks; self-determination theory emphasizes supportive motivational climates. These literatures do not establish that any single coaching phrase works in every sport or for every athlete.
Research provides a rationale for testing a skill in context; it does not prove that this exact IBE exercise, timing, scoring method or audience adaptation has been experimentally validated.
The free IBE Coach Cue Audit exercise | 20 minutes
Select an existing training sequence with a coach-observed outcome. Write down current instructions word-for-word; do not alter safety-critical technical feedback.
Run the entire practice below before deciding whether additional coaching would be useful. No login, purchase, scorecard or assessment is required for this starter exercise.
- Record three recent corrections. For each, ask whether it directs attention to an observable task or simply describes a personal flaw.
- Rewrite one correction as a short action cue, for example 'Find the open shoulder before passing' instead of 'Stop panicking.'
- Explain the cue privately, invite athlete feedback, and confirm that the instruction fits the sport's technical demands.
- Run three repetitions with the existing language and three comparable repetitions using the clarified cue. Keep conditions as similar as practical.
- Debrief with the athlete: what was heard, what was actionable, and what should be retained? Do not treat one comparison as a controlled trial.
Apply it to a real performance scenario
After consecutive errors in basketball, a coach replaces a stream of blame-oriented corrections with one shared defensive communication priority for the next possession.
In rehearsal, change only one variable at a time where practical. The aim is to observe the planned response, not to manufacture extreme pressure.
What to record
Record cue length, whether the athlete could restate the task, observable execution, and athlete feedback. Interpret differences cautiously because practice conditions vary.
Record what happened, what you intended to do and one specific adjustment for the next practice. Protect participant confidentiality; do not put identifying client or student notes into a public form.
A seven-day transfer plan
Build a short team cue bank that retains necessary technical nuance. Use individualized cues when the same phrase is not appropriate for every position.
Day 1: establish a normal baseline. Days 2–4: rehearse the cue or handoff in short, safe blocks. Days 5–6: practice one realistic variation. Day 7: compare adherence and task results, ask for participant feedback and keep only adjustments that make sense in context.
Safety, scope and limitations
Never use this as a disciplinary scoring system or substitute for safeguarding, injury decisions or professional mental-health support.
IBE Performance provides performance education and coaching, not psychotherapy, medical assessment or crisis care. Consult appropriately qualified local professionals where scope, safeguarding or legal requirements apply.
Research sources and original-work disclosure
The publications below inform the underlying principles. The examples, sequence, scripts, rehearsal design and informal observation measures on this page are original IBE Performance educational adaptations. They have not been clinically validated or presented as tests created by the cited researchers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mental Performance Coaching FAQ
Is this exercise free?
Yes. The complete starter practice and cited reading are public. No assessment is required.
Is this a tested IBE clinical protocol?
No. It is an original, research-informed educational drill. It is not a diagnostic, therapeutic or psychometrically validated intervention.
What is available to members?
Depending on eligible access, members can use personalized or assigned training materials, completion records and supported coaching resources inside the authenticated IBE portal.
See It in Your Performance Profile
Build a response for your actual performance environment.
Start with a focused consultation to discuss your specific situation, determine fit, and identify the right next step. If measurement would add useful evidence, an assessment can follow the conversation.
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