Washington Area Lacrosse Officials Association
The customer isn’t always right.
But they are always the
customer.
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Safety
Direct Customer Contact
Supervision
Management
At the point of impact,
a single employee “represents”
the whole organization for better or worse.
What kind of representative
do you want to be remembered as?
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How many people are told about a
negative interaction?
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It has been estimated that
seventeen persons are told about a
single negative interaction that is
seen by only one person
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Public events have the potential for getting
out of hand
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Verbal Judo is a well established method of
providing personnel with professional
communication skills
Knowing how to “redirect a person’s
behavior with words” is an important tool for
keeping everyone safe
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People want to be treated with respect and
dignity
People would rather be asked than told
People want to know why they are being asked
People want to make their own choice, given
options instead of threats
People want a second chance
We treat people like
ladies and gentlemen,
not necessarily
because they are,
BUT BECAUSE WE ARE.
Principle of Judo itself-using the energy of others
to maintain control of the situation
Enables officials to safely manage the game using
appropriate presence and words as options
Communication principles and tactics to generate
cooperation and gain voluntary compliance under
stressful situations
Making Initial Contact
Active Listening
Managing Verbal Resistance
Moving Beyond Words
Treat others as
you would like to be treated
under the same circumstances
Physical
• Facial Expressions
• Attitude
• Mannerism
Speech
• Profanities
• Tone and Volume
• Verbal Parting Shots
An appropriate greeting-ask for their time
“May I speak with you?”
Explain why you are initiating contact
“I want to talk to you about…”
If they are doing something they
shouldn’t be doing, find out why
“You seem to be doing…., is there a
reason why?”
Be open and UNBIASED
Hear literally
Interpret accurately
Act appropriately
Listen-Let them finish their statement
Empathize-See it from their point of view
Ask-Clarify with questions
Paraphrase-Tell them what you
understand, repeat LEAP if necessary
Summarize-Put all the info together in
context
Generate Voluntary Compliance
when we have to…
Generate Voluntary Cooperation
on a good day…
Generate Voluntary
Collaboration on a great day
Calm down!
What’s your problem?
You people…
Come over here!
I’m not going to tell you again!
Because that is the rule!
May I talk with you?
What can I do to help you?
May I ask you…
Will you assist me?
Will you work with me?
Do you have a question?
Anyone can talk someone into
being ejected but it takes a
professional to talk someone out
of being ejected
If we spend more time on
non-escalation,
we won’t need to de-escalate.
Ask – Requesting tone of voice
Set Context -- Tell them why, explain reason for
contact
Give Options – Positive first then negative
Confirm – Is there anything that I can say… to
get you to… I would like to think that…
Act – Disengage and/or escalate
You have to be nice …
Until its time not to be nice …
Then you have to be nice again
Referee Safety
Enhanced Professionalism
Decreased Customer Complaints
Decreased Vicarious Liability
Court Power (no one wants to be seated at the table
labeled defendant)
Less Personal Stress
Increased Morale
Listen to what the person is saying,
watch what they are doing,
put everything in “context” of the
current situation
Otherwise, you may never see the argument
or complaint coming
Employ active listening skills to understand
the situation from their point of view
Attempt to learn what a person is thinking
in order to generate voluntary:
Compliance
Cooperation
Collaboration
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Ask
Set Context
Give Options
Confirm Noncompliance
Act – Disengage and/or Escalate
Professional respect is given
• When you walk onto the field in uniform
Personal respect is earned
• Through actions, communication,
and professionalism
Expect the first, strive for the second
Let attitude drift … Focus on behavior
We don’t need the last word, we have the last
action
It’s not enough to BE good, you have to LOOK
good & SOUND good, or it’s NO good
Never step on one’s personal face
The goal is to attain personal respect, not just
professional
People are like steel - When they lose their
temper they are useless!