5 Discussing feedback and encouraging dialogue

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, in their 2016 report Could do better: assessing what works in performance management, suggests it is not the content of feedback that is important in determining its effectiveness, but how people respond to it. In the next activity you’ll analyse the feedback provided to a judo coach and assess its effectiveness.

Figure 6 After an observation do you provide feedback or have a conversation with the coach?

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A coach discusses tactics with a basketball player.

Figure 6 After an observation do you provide feedback or have a conversation with the coach?

The video features Mike, a judo coach, working in a school environment and this may have an influence on the structure and organisation of the feedback provided by Rob, the coach developer.

Activity 5 Discussing feedback to allow constructive dialogue

Timing: Allow about 20 minutes

Watch Video 4. How well do you believe the feedback has been approached? Is this how you would like to receive feedback if you were the coach? Would you respond positively to the feedback and does the video reveal anything about the relationship between the two people involved and the context in which the feedback is being undertaken?

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Transcript: Video 4

NARRATOR

After Rob watches Mike coach, watch how he skillfully teases out the points for development.

ROB

OK, Mike, great session. Looked like you enjoyed teaching it. What would you say went well in today's session?

MIKE

I think that the girl has got the moves. And they learned [NON-ENGLISH], some Japanese terminology. They have done good work today. And they have improved from the last session.

ROB

Yep. So what were your objectives for the session? And at the end, would you say that those objectives were achieved?

MIKE

We have tried to work on the [NON-ENGLISH], first of all, and tried to jog, make them try to understand the moves in different position. And we have tried to do some contests also. They have to turn their partners, try to use one of the three techniques we have sought to do.

ROB

I'll just go through my observations.

MIKE

OK.

ROB

And then I'll relate my observations into our coach assessment sheet. And then we'll go through that very briefly.

So lots of things I observed. Right? Start on the really positive stuff. I thought all the demonstration was excellent. Very clear what you're setting out to do. And you have Darren there, which is useful.

MIKE

Yeah.

ROB

I thought you got through a lot of content. They managed to do a hold and two throws, which was excellent. And I think that the opportunity for them to contest against each other is brilliant, because actually they get an opportunity to grapple and have a go at things. And they clearly really enjoy that.

The structure, like I said last time, is excellent.

MIKE

OK.

ROB

And you're giving them lots of good information. Bits that I would pick up on are the reinforcement of the information you're giving them.

MIKE

Yeah?

ROB

Do you think when they left they knew what the holds were that you'd shown them, in terms of what the Japanese word was?

MIKE

Yeah.

ROB

Do you think they'd have remembered?

MIKE

They will remember.

ROB

Did you ask them about it at the end?

MIKE

Yeah. I asked--

ROB

So that sort of level are things that we need to develop. So your interaction with the girls. Because they've got all the tools there.

MIKE

Yeah?

ROB

And what you need to do is you need to make sure that the learning is taking place by asking yourself. So things like, can you remember the name of this hold that I've told you at the start?

MIKE

Ah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

ROB

What three things have we done in today's lesson, particularly when you get to that end bit.

MIKE

But at the beginning I have told them what we are going to do.

ROB

Yeah. You did.

MIKE

But that's just a session. And then some bit before--

ROB

You're nervous on camera. I know. But you did it at the start.

MIKE

At the start. Yeah.

ROB

But then make sure you go back to it. There was a bit in which you did do some questioning. And that was really positive. They need to develop that understanding of why they're doing something so that you're showing them. They're doing it. But then there's the difference between why they're doing it.

So you're saying you may be in a judo exchange, and this will come up. And you need to hold them down this way because of this. You know what I mean?

MIKE

OK. Yeah.

ROB

So what I would have liked to have seen, and I was waiting for you to do it. I was hoping that you'd say, right, link your throw with the hold.

MIKE

Ah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

ROB

So they could have done that at the end.

MIKE

Yeah.

ROB

So you had all that progressed.

MIKE

Yeah. I have just missed.

ROB

Yeah. Cause then that would have been representative of a judo exchange. You know?

MIKE

Yeah. I have just missed that bit. And we have done the [NON-ENGLISH]. And we have done the standing technique. They have slap. And I've just missed this bit.

ROB

Yeah.

MIKE

Yeah.

ROB

And you know what I said at the start. That Japanese terminology thing, they can go away with that. It's great. Because it's something that I wouldn't know. And coming to this, I would want to be reminded what it was over and over again.

Now, in terms of the bits which I specifically talked about from last session, which was your behaviour management and your control of the group, I thought at the beginning it was slow in regard to I thought it was quite similar to the way it was before, using the voice at the same level. But then you changed midway through, and you started being a bit louder.

MIKE

Louder. Yeah.

ROB

A bit louder. And a lot clearer. And I think that was a lot better with the girls.

MIKE

OK.

ROB

Between when we did the first observation and now, what sort of things have you tried to do to sort of--

MIKE

I have tried to take more control in the group. They were more quiet. I see it was better now than before, I think.

ROB

Yes. That's what I'm saying here.

MIKE

And I have tried to put the standing technique. We have done standing, I think, last time.

ROB

OK. Cause they did learn loads today.

MIKE

Yeah. They did loads.

ROB

But make sure you go away knowing that they have done that.

MIKE

Yeah. I will try next time. Because I have done a quite good session. I have the warm up, the techniques, the fight, and then try to do stretching after. So I think it was a complete session.

ROB

All the general teaching traits I gave you excellent for. The preparation and the progression through the lesson I gave you excellent for. The presentation, I gave you good. OK. I still need you to work on the use of the names.

MIKE

The first names. Yeah.

ROB

Yep. And also a little bit on differentiating the practise. So if you can see two girls that are really good at activity, you maybe move them on a bit quicker.

And the behaviour management stuff was much better. In terms of your clarity and your direction, I still think you need to set out your own rules so they know that when you're speaking, they're not to speak. And if they do speak when you're talking, you make sure you re-establish the rules from that.

OK? So those are the only two things really.

MIKE

OK.

ROB

Other than that, it was very good. Well done.

MIKE

Thank you, Rob.

End transcript: Video 4

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Discussion

The feedback is taking place in a calm environment and the body language and tone of Rob, the coach developer, appears helpful and sincere. The conversation starts on a positive note as Rob invites Mike, the coach, to reflect on the session by asking some prompting questions.

Before Rob provides his main feedback, he explains what he is doing and opens it by reinforcing some positive points. Mike is then provided with two things he might consider towards furthering his development. The feedback is framed positively, and Rob creates a constructive dialogue.

Aguilar (2013) writing about coaching in educational settings accepts that discussing feedback is an art that takes time to learn. People can be sensitive about receiving feedback on their performance, but she offers several suggestions you may find useful:

1. Know the person. Make an effort to know who you are giving feedback to and how you should adapt your feedback accordingly.
2. Ground feedback in observational data (for example, ‘you used the word ‘great’ on twelve occasions’; ‘you asked four questions in total’). Ensure you can support your feedback with examples from your observation.
3. Keep critical feedback to one or two key points. Focus on the immediate priorities. Try not to overload the coach with multiple areas in which they need to improve.
4. Ask for permission. Precede your comments with phrases such as ‘can I share a couple of things with you’, or ‘would it be OK if I suggest this’. This helps to demonstrate that your feedback is coming from a place of care and a desire to help the coach develop.
5. Find the phrasing. Think about the language you use to convey your feedback and how the coach will hear you. Remember it is how feedback is received that influences its effectiveness, so you want a coach to hear you positively.
6. Invite reflection. Invite the coach to offer their reflection and thoughts. Watch their body language carefully as this can convey how they have responded to your feedback.

The timing of when to provide feedback is also worth considering. Straight after a game or session the coach may be on an emotional high and perhaps this is not always the optimum time for detailed feedback. Instead, if appropriate, leave the coach with a couple of questions to ponder and then arrange to speak over the coming days when they have had a chance to reflect and you to will have thought through your feedback. This might help the coach be more receptive to your comments and open the possibility for a more productive dialogue.

Finally, when do you start to provide feedback to a coach? Aguilar’s first point ‘Know the person’ would suggest that providing feedback to a coach is best begun only when a relationship is established and when you have built an understanding of – and with – the coach. Perhaps you would start to observe but not provide any feedback – any observation does not necessarily require feedback, but you should explain this to the coach so they understand why you are watching them but not intending to provide any subsequent comment. Maybe your first observation could involve watching and focusing on the participants being coached to learn and understand more about them. Again, explain this to the coach and your reasoning for this. These points are reinforced in the next activity where you see how a culture shift towards peer-to-peer observation was developed in education. Could this work effectively in coaching?