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What if one word could unlock potential, or shut it down completely?
When Rene Meulensteen coached Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, he didn't start with tactics. He started with language. The words he chose made the difference between a player who could score goals and one obsessed with scoring them.
In this episode, Damian explores the essential habit that separates good coaching from greatness: mind your language. Discover why Rene never said "change", only "add." Learn how Sir Alex Ferguson's flip chart philosophy shaped United's dominance. And find out how a Roger Federer moment transformed their Champions League campaign.
Featuring insights from psychology (the famous Loftus & Palmer study on how words reshape memory), plus behind-the-scenes stories from United's golden era, this episode reveals how elite performers use language to frame reality, lower threat, and spark possibility.
Together we explore:
- Why "change" triggers defensiveness, and what word opens people up instead
- How Ronaldo transformed into a goal-scoring machine
- Ferguson's "if that doesn't work, we gamble" mentality
- The myth of the hairdryer treatment, and what really happened at halftime
René reminds us that high performance isn’t just built on drills and repetitions, it’s built on the words that shape how people feel, learn, and grow.
If you’ve ever wanted to give better feedback, build trust faster, or help someone reach a level they didn’t know they had in them, this conversation with René is worth your time.
Listen to the full episode with René Meulensteen: https://pod.fo/e/2bd0c6
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