Some of my thoughts on Feedback (one of the 8 key skills of coaching)
Giving feedback is one of the 8 key skills of coaching. For
this reflection I am going to focus on the skill of giving feedback. Giving
feedback is something that can cause me great difficulty. This is often because I
worry about hurting the feelings of the person that I am giving the feedback
to, especially if the feedback feels personal. I typically have used the 2
positives and one next step method or the sandwich rule but have often found this to lend itself to
the ‘dump and run’ method of giving feedback - I have a tendency to use it as the end in itself.
How not to give feedback!
The skill of giving feedback in the coaching model uses the
fantastic metaphor of the ‘feedback bridge.’ Feedback is an obstacle that needs
to be crossed in order to have a coaching conversation. It is a framework that
allows the coachee to hear feedback. Often this is information they may have not heard before. The Johari Window illustrates the purpose of feedback excellently. The purpose is to make the unknown known. E.g. if you look at the model below, ideally feedback should make the 'known to self' window bigger as this enables the the coachee to be in a better position to have a coaching conversation.
In a nutshell: feedback is a means to an end not an end in itself. Never dump and run!
