Feeding Back Coaching Data
- how and why effective feedback can help your client
- the skill sets that support effective feedback
- examples of effective feedback techniques
Introduction: Ty’s Case
Ty couldn’t move past being angry. When his coach shared his 360 feedback with him, he was surprised to see that his self-ratings in building trust and strategic partnerships were significantly higher than the ratings he received from peers and direct reports. What he was really stuck on, though, were the verbatim comments that referenced his “steamroller” tactics. Part of him, actually most of him, wanted to reject the data. The only reason he wasn’t doing that was his coach, Nancy.
When Ty and Nancy started working together three months ago, she told him it was her job to support him as he worked to achieve his goals. One of those goals was increasing his self-awareness. She promised to always give him the straight story and to ask him questions that would encourage him to consider things in different ways. She said, “I’m going to provoke your thinking.” Right now he wished she’d be a bit less provocative.
However, it made a difference to have someone clearly in his corner no matter what the data said. In fact, Nancy always seemed to show a curiosity about decisions. Ty didn’t get the feeling that he was being judged. Nancy just had a way of observing and then questioning his intentions. When she listened to him, it was as if she heard what he was saying and what he was thinking at the same time. She had this way of getting him to think about choices and consequences. She talked about managing the gap between perception and intention. And, even when he was looking at an area to improve, she showed him how to use his strengths to create a better outcome for himself.
So, now he had some questions to answer: “What does this feedback mean?” “How do I feel about it?” “What are my choices?” “How will they serve me?” “What are the likely consequences of those choices?” “How do I want to move forward?” Ty put his brain in gear and started to consider the questions. As he did, he remembered something Nancy told him early on: Coaching isn’t for lightweights. That was for sure. Lucky for him, he had the interest, the drive, and a lot to build on. And, he had Nancy, his coach.
As Ty’s case shows, when coaches are effective at feeding back coaching data they
- place data in context
- support reflection
- help their clients make new connections
- help their clients make informed choices.
Feeding back coaching data provides the opportunity for the coach to help the client explore meaning, generate alternative ideas and solutions, evaluate options, and take action. Because of the dynamic and critical nature of these interactions, this step in the model is presented as a process step, as shown in figure 6-1. In this chapter, we will examine the skill sets that support this step from that perspective.
Place Data in Context
It is important to frame data so that the client can consider it as part of the bigger picture. In other words, any piece of feedback is not the whole story. Rather, it is a snapshot, taken at a moment in time. It is the coach’s job to help the client see how that moment in time is part of a pattern of behavior or may be an unusual occurrence. Context is made up of elements from the past, the present, and the future. Our past experiences often influence our current behavior.
Alan’s Case
Alan is a skilled chief financial officer reporting directly to the chief executive officer of a large trade association. His current boss is forward-thinking and fair-minded, supporting continuous learning and accepting the mistakes that sometimes accompany that way of working. His previous boss was very different; he clung to the past, resisted change, and promoted a “blame rich” environment. Recently, Alan had the chance to promote a process change that would have streamlined the budgeting process and eliminated a substantial burden from his staff and other departments. He didn’t support the change, and the feedback from his peers and his boss revealed their confusion about his choice. Further, he damaged his credibility and has people wondering if he is the right person for this job. When the topic came up in coaching, he shared his thinking. “You know what we say around here... you can’t get into trouble for something you didn’t do.”
Alan’s previous experience with a bad boss has left him afraid to step out and promote something new. He had no idea that his choice would affect the way he was seen by his boss or his peers. After all, he is protecting himself. Alan’s mindset is part of the context within which he operates. He will need support in creating new linkages between beliefs and behaviors so that he can operate more effectively.
Present experiences also contribute to context. In chapter 5, you may recall that people experienced Craig as “more direct than what we’re used to around here.” There was no mention of anyone trying to talk to Craig about his behavior or of explaining the expectations held by Craig’s peers and others. In this case, Craig is operating from his own set of norms, and his behaviors are confusing those around him. Craig is contributing to his present experiences every time he interacts with peers and others in his organization. Craig’s peers and others are contributing to the present experiences by assuming what Craig intended in a given interaction and assigning meaning to the behavior without asking him for an explanation.
People frequently assume rather than ask. It saves time. It also allows us to balance our perception of what happened with the other person’s intention without any verification. In this way, we get to write our own story and script all of the characters. This approach is not helpful in promoting clear communication and transparency in behavior. So, the degree to which peers and others are willing to ask questions and test assumptions influences the context within which data will be considered. Other influences on present context include
- business goals and objectives
- personal alliances and commitments
- accurate reading of the situation or circumstance
- accurate reading of personal decisions.
Alex’s Case
Alex is the vice president of sales for a mid-sized consumer products company. She knows how to get things done in her organization, always exceeds her numbers, and is focused on moving up to a senior vice president slot. Although she was taught by a “take no prisoners” type of boss, she has been paying close attention to the president’s messages during the past six months about the kind of workplace she wants to create and the kind of behaviors that will be rewarded. Alex wants that promotion, so she has modified her interactions with others to more closely align with the company’s core values. Her recent 360 feedback reflects the changes she has made.
The desired future that an individual wants to experience also influences context. Alex’s interest in a more senior position (future) influenced her and helped her change her behaviors (current). In Alan’s case, a relationship with a bad boss (past) continues to influence him (current) and is affecting his future. Context is influenced by internal and external factors that may come from past, present, or desired future experiences. So, how does the coach support the client in reflecting on these factors and others?
Support Reflection
Sometimes, clients just need a few targeted questions to support their reflection on the feedback data. For example, in Ty’s case, even as he was working through his feelings about his 360 feedback, he called to mind the questions his coach had posed to him in an earlier conversation:
- “What does this feedback mean?”
- “How do I feel about it?”
- “What are my choices?”
- “How will they serve me?”
- “What are the likely consequences of those choices?”
- “How do I want to move forward?”
Other questions that can provoke thinking and help a client reflect include the following:
- “What result do I want to achieve?”
- “How does this (behavior/performance) support my purpose?”
- “What can I do differently?”
- “What are the consequences of doing nothing?”
The reflection process is often where the greatest learning can take place, so encourage your clients to take their time. Often, a client may jump to one interpretation of the data, when the opposite interpretation is actually more accurate. To help your client consider alternative perspectives, the skill of reframing is necessary.
Melinda’s Case
As they were reviewing her image study feedback, Rusty asked Melinda what she thought of the following comments from her team:
- Melinda always has an answer.
- Melinda keeps a close eye on us.
- Melinda checks on me regularly...usually before I have a chance to go to her as agreed.
- Melinda usually rewrites my status reports, so I just worry about providing the basics.
Melinda was happy to hear that her team considered her the answer person. She put a lot of time and energy into being there for them. She believed that it was her job to make sure they succeeded and to do the heavy lifting. Rusty asked her if there was another way to interpret their comments. “Describe the climate you are creating in the team,” he asked. Through dialogue with Rusty, Melinda realized that she was micromanaging the team. In fact, although she considered them capable, she wasn’t demonstrating that through her actions. Working with Rusty, she was able to create a development plan that allowed her to facilitate more and control less. She started asking more questions and allowing the team to work out the details of assignments once they were in agreement regarding what was needed. One year later, three members of her team had been promoted and Melinda had doubled the size of her team.
Source: Adapted from Bianco-Mathis, Nabors, and Roman, Leading From the Inside Out, 2002.
Reframing, or any type of reflection, requires interest and energy on the part of your client. You can help your client channel that energy into the process of making new connections.
Make New Connections
Recent research in fields including neuroscience, education, adult learning theory, and behavioral science reveals that “ . . . it’s not that difficult to bridge the gap between a thought and a habit” (Rock 2006, 24). The implication for coaching is substantial. As part of the coaching process, the coach helps the client build bridges so that thoughts can become habits. With the coach’s support, the client has the “space” to consider new scripts, alternative behaviors, and different stories. They get to “rewrite” the endings to the many dramas in which they play a starring role. They can “try on” new behaviors and approaches and see how those changes affect the results they are interested in achieving. Rock, and others, suggests that there is a bigger benefit in “creating new wiring” (21) than in delving into the whys and wherefores of existing thinking. So, working through the feedback process creates the opportunity for the coach to promote this dialogue and to support clients as they consider changes in their thinking.
Consider the case below. A customer care advisor is acting as a coach for a direct sales representative, John. This coaching relationship is one that they both agreed would be beneficial for John at this time in his career. They are already into the coaching meeting and all preliminary topics have been discussed.
Customer Care Advisor: John, let’s consider the data we have available to us and see what it tells us. You may remember that I was going to speak with your supervisor, listen to some of your calls, and study the technical assessments for the past three months.
Direct Sales Representative: Yes, I remember what we talked about. I told you when we first spoke that I could tell you what you were going to find out. You could have saved yourself a bunch of time.
Customer Care Advisor: Well, I appreciate your concern for my time, and I consider it well spent in gathering specific feedback that we can use.
Direct Sales Representative: I guess. I still believe I can give you an accurate picture of how others perceive me.
Customer Care Advisor: Since you bring it up, how do you think others perceive you?
Direct Sales Representative: I am practically an expert; I have experience in our direct and agency groups, and I started out in claims loss. I know all of our systems, and I have other experience in the insurance industry. I have consistently scored high in all areas of my technical assessments except those “woo-hoo” customer care elements.
Customer Care Advisor: Yes, you do have extensive knowledge in each of our service areas and in the industry overall. How frequently do other reps consult you with questions?
Direct Sales Representative: Well, not very often. People are jealous, you know, and they don’t like to give credit where credit is due. I know the answers to pretty much every question they might ask—I’ve seen it all.
Customer Care Advisor: So, if they have this great resource—you—so readily available, what do you think stops them from taking advantage of you? Just the jealousy?
Direct Sales Representative: Yeah, I think it’s the jealousy. They just don’t want to get answers to their questions.
Customer Care Advisor: Okay, so to summarize, your co-workers are jealous of you and your experience. Even though you have a wide range of industry- and company-specific knowledge, they don’t see you nor do they take advantage of you in the role of a valued resource? Is that correct?
Direct Sales Representative: That’s it exactly.
Customer Care Advisor: Let’s look more closely at that. Interestingly, that’s not it exactly, at least from their perspective. Other people, including some of your clients describe you as “abrupt,” “mechanical,” and “distant.” Your co-workers see you as “rigid” and “inflexible” and perceive that you are holding on to the “way things used to be.” I wonder what might be contributing to these perceptions?
Direct Sales Representative: Who knows with that bunch?
Customer Care Advisor: Remember, we aren’t just talking about your co-workers. Clients are experiencing you in some similar ways. I wonder how much of this is intentional on your part and how much is the accidental by-product of your focusing on the technical pieces of your work to the exclusion of the interpersonal pieces of your work—including those “woo-hoo” customer care elements?
Direct Sales Representative: Are you saying you want me to get a personality transplant and start being Mr. Congeniality with everyone?
Customer Care Advisor: No, I don’t see any personality transplants in your future. I do see you as a valuable resource that is going largely unused because people don’t see you as “open” or “approachable.” How does that benefit you, the team, the company, or the clients? More important, how does that help you to achieve the goal you shared with me of raising the skills of your team members and increasing the capacity of the office?
Direct Sales Representative: Well, maybe not so much. But that’s their choice to use me or not.
Customer Care Advisor: Yes, it is their choice. I wonder, what can you do to influence them to make another choice? How can you behave differently so you achieve a different result—a result that is more in line with your goal?
Direct Sales Representative: I’ll have to think about it. It isn’t easy for me to see myself in this kind of way. I have always drawn a connection between efficient, no-nonsense call handling and skillful service. People are calling with a problem or a question, and I’ve always thought it was my job to get them an answer and get them off the phone. I thought that is what they’d want. Based on what I’m hearing, they want more. It sounds like they want a connection. I can’t believe I just said that. In one way, it makes sense—I suppose there is a value in my passing on what I know. And, if no one’s asking me, that won’t happen. I just have a hard time using some of that new language we talked about and gushing all of the time.
Customer Care Advisor: Okay, fair point. What if we continue to work on the language and hold off on the gushing requirement and see where it takes us?
Direct Sales Representative: I’m willing to give it a shot.
Customer Care Advisor: Good. Let’s draft an action plan.
Table 6-1. Effective Feedback Techniques.
| Effective Feedback Techniques | Examples |
1. Put the feedback in context. Be accurate and well prepared. |
“Jan, if you remember, you decided that the best way to get feedback on your management style was for me to conduct an image study and then to review that data with your Myers-Briggs Type Indicator results and your own self-assessment. So, what I have done . . . . ” |
2. Provide balance (both good performance and areas for improvement), and build on strengths. |
“As you know, Bob, you have excellent decision-making skills. If we brainstorm for a few minutes, I believe we can come up with some ways you can use your decision-making expertise in improving your planning and organizing issues. Shall we give it a try?” |
3. Describe information in a factual, objective, and behavioral manner. |
“During that last meeting, I noticed that you interrupted other people without acknowledging what they were saying. Twice I heard you say what you felt needed to be done very forcefully, and I didn’t hear you ask for the input of others on your statements. What kind of effect do you think these actions had on others in the group?” |
4. Explore the client’s behavior. Identify the client’s intention, and compare it to the effect of the behavior. Explore consequences (of action or inaction) and alternatives. |
“Let’s look more closely at the behavior. What is your intention when you get angry like that in the middle of the hallway? What are you trying to express or achieve? What effect do you think your yelling has on others? What evidence do you have of that? What might happen if you continue this behavior? What other behaviors might get you closer to your intended outcomes?” |
5. Point out trends and patterns. |
“Sandy, I’m going to give you one illustrative example but not a long list. The reason for this is that I’d like to suggest that you pay attention to the pattern that keeps showing up in all of the interview data. Namely, folks don’t feel you listen to their concerns.” |
6. Provide support in working through negative feedback. |
“I know this piece of data may sound a bit harsh. If you consider it within the overall theme of your goals for decision making, you may see that you have several choices for how to use it to support your development.” |
7. Role model good feedback behaviors so the client can adopt appropriate techniques: summarizing, clarifying terms, discussing effect of changes, demonstrating concern, and acknowledging. |
“Jose, I don’t know if you noticed this, but I actually use the dialogue techniques with you that I’ve been suggesting you use with your own team. For example, the way I always ask you a series of questions before moving into action items is something you can also do during your weekly team meetings with your staff. What do you think?” |
| 8. Stress the difference between perceptions and intention; reframe to explore different interpretations; describe the defensiveness you are observing, and explore the reasons behind it. |
“I understand that as an executive team, it is tempting to dismiss data from the rest of the organization that you perceive as whining. I will be the first to admit that there is a certain amount of whining in some data. That said, I wonder what they intended when they brought up these concerns? The data is very consistent across all of the divisions. What reasons, besides whining, could be behind this serious concern about the performance management system?” |
9. Point out the need to influence perceptions and not to resort to blame or “right versus wrong.” |
“It sounds like you have done a lot to cater to the needs of your customers, and they are still complaining about slow service. It really doesn’t matter whether they are right or wrong—or whether you are right or wrong. What matters is that your customers perceive that your company provides slow service. So, what might be done about that?” |
10. Advocate, inquire, and test assumptions. |
“Your last answer didn’t sound very convincing. How certain are you of your feelings concerning that piece of data?” |
| 11. Ask questions and explore alternatives, even if the client agrees quickly. |
“Well, Donna, I’m glad you understand this feedback so well and agree that modifying your delegation might be appropriate. What suggestions do you have for doing that? Let’s get down to your daily actions and what you will start doing differently.” |
John’s old connections have him equating swift, no-nonsense processing of problems and questions with desirable service. New connections, based on the feedback he is hearing, lead him to consider connecting with team members and clients in a way he hasn’t done before. John and his coach can now create some new wiring that will support him in practicing and eventually internalizing new behaviors.
Make Informed Choices
In the example above, John was acting on old information. He chose to behave in a certain way because he believed it served his purpose. When his coach provided him with current data that showed that wasn’t the case, John decided to consider an alternative. At this point, he is positioned to make an informed choice. Even if he decides to continue to act in the same way, he is now aware that his old behavior is not going to yield the results he said he wants. So, it is the coach’s job to support clients in making informed choices. How do you do that?
Feeding back data to clients requires authenticity, telling the truth, sensitivity, and appropriate framing. There are specific feedback techniques that can support your efforts in providing information to clients in a direct and caring way. As you review the examples in table 6-1, note what language sounds familiar to you and what language presents an opportunity for skill building.
Practicing all of these techniques and making the language your own will strengthen your skills as a workplace learning and performance coach. As you increase your skills in feeding back coaching data, your clients will benefit from your ability to help them place data in context, support reflection through provocative questioning, help them make new connections, and help them make informed choices. These skills will be put to use as you work with your clients in designing goals and tracking action, topics that will be covered in the next chapter.
Moving Ideas to Action
This chapter presents several techniques that will increase your effectiveness when feeding back coaching data. Using table 6-2, draft a script that will support your efforts to incorporate these techniques in your next feedback meeting.
Table 6-2. Applying Effective Feedback Techniques.
| Feedback Techniques | My Application Examples |
1. Put the feedback in context. (What is one new phrase or question I can use?) |
|
2. Reframe. (What will I say to support my client in looking at the data differently?) |
|
3. Provide balance and build on strengths. (Which strengths can I leverage?) |
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4. Describe information in a factual, objective, and behavioral manner. (What meaning should I take from that behavior?) |
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5. Compare the effect of the behavior with the client’s intention, and explore consequences and alternatives. (What is likely to happen if I continue in this way?) |
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6. Provide support in working through negative feedback. (How can we use this information?) |