I love how inspiration for content can be found in the most unexpected places, such as a horseback riding event in Kentucky (yee-haw!). If you’ve been around my slice of the internet for a bit, then you may already be familiar with this information, but if you’re new here, this will be some fresh insight into my life. While I’m a full-time leadership coach and run Finka Inc., I’m also a micro-farmer! So while I make my own sap from trees and grow my own fruits and vegetables, it also allows for the space and environment for my daughter to do what she loves: horseback riding.
A couple weeks ago, we attended a horseback riding event in Kentucky where I was able to witness the relationships between horseback riders and their coaches. Of course, being the leadership coach I am, I found a common thread between the athletes and people in the workplace.
Continue reading to learn how to give feedback to strengthen your bench and coaching skills.
If you’re a video or audio learner, discover the true, transformative impact feedback can have on your bench by tuning into Episode 152 of the Your Brilliant Difference™ Podcast, “3 Things You Can Learn From Athletes to Perform Brilliantly in the Workplace Arena.”
Athletes vs. Workplace Professionals
I promise I’ll get to the feedback part in a minute, but I couldn’t help but share these fun facts with you about similarities and differences I observed between us and athletes.
Did you notice a key difference between workplace professionals vs. athletes? In the athletic world, coaching is the norm. Athletes rely on coaching to excel and grow in their talent, which is why hockey players can score so many goals and football players can execute so many touchdowns.
But in the work world? Workplace coaching is seen as a luxury that’s not always prioritized. Yet, in a way, you and your bench are athletes. While you’re not striving for a touchdown, you’re aiming to close a new client, launch a successful campaign, or have stakeholders buy into ideas. You’re an athlete too.
So, here’s how you can approach coaching and feedback to help your team produce limitless results.
3 Feedback Reminders
These four feedback reminders are built on the principles of my Your Brilliant Coaching skill builder program. It’s a coaching skills workshop designed to help leaders bring out the best in their teams so everyone can reach their full potential, perform without limits, and produce business results.
Here’s a teeny tiny taste of some things you can learn from it.
Reminder 1: It All Starts With Coaching
Coaching is a tool that can help you and your people find a way forward. Whether someone is stuck on a strategy or proposal, as a coach, ask open-ended questions to help them self-identify where they might be getting stuck and how they can move forward. You’re streamlining the brainstorming process. You might suggest some ideas, but really look to them to identify the problem and explore possible solutions. You’re a facilitator of the conversation, listening and recognizing anything beneath the waterline that they may be missing.
Reminder 2: It Focuses on Helping Your People Be Their Best
Feedback is an element of coaching that is often found in the sports world. It typically answers questions like:
- What is someone doing well in?
- Where do they need to improve?
But pointing out these answers for someone can quickly get personal, and it’s not your fault. Chances are you’ve never actually been taught how to give feedback (my coaching skill builder teaches you exactly how).
Remember, when you offer feedback to your people, don’t offer it from a place of judgement; give it with the desire and care of helping that person improve and be their best self. This allows them to bring their Brilliant Difference™, so they can shine and add value in their role that they’re meant to make.
Reminder 3: It’s a Team Effort
Receiving feedback can be isolating, like you’re looking at someone under a microscope. When practicing feedback, remind your people that they aren’t alone, and that everyone is rooting for them to succeed.
The Power of Effective Feedback and Coaching: Quick Facts
- By practicing consistent and effective feedback, companies can lower turnover rates by 14.9%.
- Feedback doubles employee engagement. For employees who receive active feedback, 43% are highly engaged. For those who don’t, only 18% are engaged.
- When people don’t receive feedback on their work, 98% become disengaged.
- 70% of employees report that feedback improves the workplace environment.
Shine Your Brilliant Coaching
If you’ve reached this point of the article and you’re saying to yourself, “I want to do more of that,” then I highly encourage you to download the Your Brilliant Coaching Skill Builder outline. It offers you a more detailed overview of what you can expect from the program. And of course, it can always be tailored to your company’s specific learning requirements.
