Giving and Getting Feedback What to Ask the Person in the Mirror 7 01 24

Coaching and evaluating are key to developing yourself and your people’s leadership. Learn how to give and receive feedback.
Effective Leaders Coach Their People and Actively Seek Coaching Themselves. Since this blog is based on What to Ask the Person in the Mirror: Critical Questions for Becoming a More Effective Leader and Reaching Your Potential, by Harvard Professor Robert Steven Kaplan let’s begin with some questions:
• Do you coach and actively develop your key people?
• Is your feedback specific, timely, and actionable?
• Do you solicit actionable feedback from your key subordinates?
• Do you cultivate advisers who can confront you with criticisms you may not want to hear?
One of the reasons I joined the company I did for my 2nd career opportunity was to learn. My previous position failed to train or coach me. I desperately wanted to learn and earn more. My new sales manager was a great coach and superior trainer. We frequently met daily for one-on-ones to review my progress. I learned, improved, and understood the value of development coaching. I carried that forward to every job and business I owned or worked for.
Impediments to Giving Feedback
Many leaders fail to distinguish between coaching and year-end evaluation.
No Surprises - A good rule is “no surprises” in year-end performance reviews. If the first time you’ve presented constructive criticism to a subordinate is in their year-end review, YOU screwed up.
It Takes Time to Prepare - Your subordinates want to get your feedback. They want to know what you think, based on your personal observations and conversations with their colleagues. After all, you set their compensation, and you decide whether they will be promoted. They need and deserve your feedback.
Fear of Confrontation - Coaching requires a willingness to confront. The consequence of not giving honest feedback throughout the year will cause a subordinate to stop trusting, and likely leave.
Develop a Learning/ Coaching Environment
Here are four keys for training your leader to be effective coaches:
1. Preparation and Incentives - Coaching takes time.
2. Specific, Actionable Feedback and Proposed Remedies - Effective feedback should be very specific and focused on skills. It should be actionable.
3. Updating and Follow-up - Coaching demands updating and follow-up. Your organization needs change. Employees’ dreams also change.
4. Creating a Culture of Ownership - Everyone’s job should be to give and seek out feedback.
Successful enterprises have a culture of learning.