By: ERIN ASHLEY SIMON
So reader, what coins do you have to show? You may be reading this and wondering ‘Erin are you talking about Quarters? Nickels? Pennies?’
At first glance, this may be a very confusing question but the answer is quite simple.
Steve Shenbaum, the founder of the Game On Nation firm, can tell you exactly what the answer is. Game On is one of the most respected firms in communications, leadership, character development and media training.
Since the inception of this influential business in 1997, Shenbaum has changed the lives and the perspectives of elite athletes across the country.
He has worked with players such as Eli Manning, Greg Oden, Andrew McCutchen, Misty May and with many other colleges, universities and professional teams and corporations.
This summer, Shenbaum had the privilege of working with the U.S. Women’s Soccer National Team, that went on to win the gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics.
The powerful messages of motivation presented to these players are effectively instilled into their games and more importantly adopted into their lives and psyches as a mantra as well.
The message Shenbaum is sending is well received by elite level athletes including “rough’em tough’em” 2 Time Olympic Gold Medalist and 2011 AP Female Athlete of the Year Abby Wambach.
In appreciation of his words of wisdom Abby exclaims, “My heart is so full of joy and it truly has so much to do with your presentation. I’ve sat through countless meetings and I must say that your originality, humor, and passion was so well received and totally appreciated by all. I LOVED IT.” (www.gameonnation.com)
On Saturday the 18th, some of the University of Kentucky athletes, including myself, had the privilege and opportunity to meet Steve Shenbaum and be a part of the amazing team bonding experience.
With the football team attending the first session, Kentucky men’s and women’s soccer teams both did not know what to expect from this special encounter.
Hearing nothing but great comments on the “Shenbaum Experience” I decided to sit front and center in the deserted front row with approximately 60 people behind me. When the 90 minutes of fun and learning began, I thought I was prepared for what was expected but, surprise surprise I wasn’t, his performance exceeded everything that I expected.
Not only did Shenbaum bring down the guarded walls people have a tendency to put up when faced with new experiences, but he also successfully electrified the atmosphere and had the innate ability to make everyone in the room feel comfortable enough with themselves and others around them to laugh with one another, yet not at each other.
It is incredible to see the transformation, as all the UK players from both soccer teams stepped outside of their shells all because of the support of one another and through detailed appraisals that exceeded the typical compliments you may hear on or off the field.
During this bonding session, all of this sense of camaraderie quickly developed through the use of fun games that can be played on or off the road. One game that received the most laughs was the “Red Light Green Light Game,” played something like this…one player has to talk about a specific topic and another player can say either yes or no. If the individual calls out yes then you continue with your story, but if the person says no, then you have to alter your story using improvisation skills to come up with another scenario to your story.
It is quite funny to see how quick witted yet relaxed players were when playing this game and many of the other ones.
It is quite impressive to see how we all are capable of communicating well and that the only thing that stops us from communicating is fear of rejection and feeling “stupid.”
But, once you get past that initial fear, it is unbelievable to see players overcome these anxious feelings they many encounter daily.
The power of humor is unbelievably useful for letting these anxieties go, when you laugh "with" instead of "at", it changes the game.
At the end of the session, the most important message we all took away from this awesome experience was that you must show confidence even when you are nervous, nervousness should be an inner experience and that you oxymoronically need to be confidently nervous.
It is ok to mess up and feel weird, but when you have the special kinship of teammates to support you; everything seems possible and will be ok.
So, next time you see someone anxiously uncomfortable, walk across the room and speak to them, get to know them, collect their coins, find out what aspects of their lives you can use to put a smile on their face or help bring down their walls; once you get it, then it is these precious moments of life that are the coins!
Coins are the very aspects of everyone’s lives that enable them to break down the walls and barriers and help bring people to their comfortable side so that you may see the inner beauty and greatness of everyone around you.
The Shenbaum technique was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had as a student-athlete. I was quite sad that the 90 minutes were up; the time went by so fast. But, I will definitely take away all the positive messages and lessons learned at this session and gladly incorporate them into my daily life.
Now, I will ask you the essential question that was posed to us and that you now have the answer to…what are your coins?