Reflections on Weekend 4 (Transformative Coaching Essentials): Learning, Growth, and the Art of Receiving Feedback
At Weekend 4, we focused on learning effective strategies for asking for feedback, and spent much of the day role-playing the art of enrolling new clients. Here’s a snapshot of what we accomplished, along with some valuable insights into how to ask for feedback effectively.
- Learning to Ask for Feedback: We delved into the nuances of soliciting feedback, a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of communication and growth.
- Mastering Enrollment Techniques: We explored strategies for bringing clients into our coaching practice, a skill that applies in all realms of life.
- Playing: We engaged in activities designed to promote self-awareness and reveal what stops us – our hidden beliefs, as well as the rules we unconsciously make up.
- Practicing Coaching: We witnessed coaching in action and talked about what makes it effective.
How to Ask for Feedback: A Guide
Receiving feedback is an essential part of communication and growth, yet it can often feel daunting. Here are some effective strategies for gathering meaningful insights.
1. Strategy No. 1: Seek Clarity
One way to obtain valuable feedback is to clarify the information you are already receiving. If someone seems upset, for instance, approach the situation directly: “You seem upset. Is that true? Can you share why?” This open-ended inquiry allows for a deeper understanding of the information you are already receiving, and invites further dialogue.
2. Strategy No. 2: Use the “Stop, Start, Continue” Model
This simple yet powerful framework helps you structure your feedback requests effectively. Ask your team or clients the following:
- STOP: What should I stop doing that isn’t helping us reach our goals?
- START: What should I start doing to improve our outcomes?
- CONTINUE: What is working well that I should keep doing?
This method not only provides clarity but also encourages constructive criticism.
3. Strategy No. 3: Ask Specific Questions
While many businesses express the desire for feedback, they often fail to ask the right questions. They ask things like, “how are we doing on a scale of 1 – 10?” Or “would you refer us to a friend?” While these questions might reveal some information, that information is very limited.
To get more useful insights, avoid closed-ended (yes or no) questions. Instead, frame your inquiries to encourage narrative responses:
- “What did you think about our recent project?”
- “What is your favorite aspect of our service?”
These questions invite deeper reflection and provide you with the qualitative data needed for improvement.
Elements of an Effective Feedback Request
To enhance the effectiveness of your feedback requests, consider these key elements:
1. Ask sincerely: Convey that you truly want to hear their thoughts. Tell them how important the feedback is to you. For example, “I am working on improving as a leader and I could really use your help. I know there are areas for me to improve. I would love some help defining them. Your input would be valuable to me.”
2. Ask specific open-ended questions: Encourage elaboration to gather rich, detailed feedback. Ask for what you seek. For example, “I am working on listening more. How are you experiencing the way I am listening to you lately?”
3. Express gratitude: Always thank your feedback givers and communicate how you intend to use their insights. You do not have to make suggested changes, but offering feedback can be scary. Tell them how much you appreciate it and that you are going to spend time considering it.
Conclusion
At Weekend 4, we not only learned vital skills but also experienced the profound impact of community and connection. The art of asking for feedback is crucial in both personal and professional contexts. Often it takes a degree of courage AND it is a game-changer!
Click here if you want to read what we did in Week 3 of Transformative Coaching Essentials
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