How do you create impactful feedback and coaching sessions?

1 Prepare in advance

Before you schedule a feedback or coaching session, make sure you have a clear purpose, agenda, and expectations. Review the employee's goals, achievements, challenges, and areas of improvement. Gather relevant data, examples, and feedback from others if needed. Think about the best format, timing, and frequency for the session, and communicate them to the employee. Also, prepare yourself emotionally and mentally, and avoid any distractions or interruptions during the session.

2 Use the GROW model

The GROW model is a simple and effective framework for feedback and coaching, based on four steps: Goal, Reality, Options, and Way forward. Start by clarifying the goal of the session, and what the employee wants to achieve or improve. Then, assess the current reality, and identify the gaps, strengths, and obstacles. Next, explore the possible options and solutions, and encourage the employee to generate and evaluate their own ideas. Finally, agree on the way forward, and define the specific actions, resources, and support needed.

3 Listen actively and empathetically

Feedback and coaching are not one-way conversations, but dialogues that require active and empathetic listening. This means paying attention to what the employee is saying, as well as their body language, tone, and emotions. It also means asking open-ended questions, paraphrasing, summarizing, and reflecting to check your understanding and show your interest. Moreover, it means acknowledging the employee's feelings, perspectives, and experiences, and expressing your support and appreciation.

4 Provide balanced and constructive feedback

Feedback should be balanced and constructive, meaning that it should highlight both the positive and the negative aspects of the employee's performance, and provide specific and actionable suggestions for improvement. Feedback should also be timely, relevant, and consistent, meaning that it should be given as close as possible to the performance event, relate to the employee's goals and expectations, and align with the previous and future feedback. Additionally, feedback should be respectful, honest, and positive, meaning that it should avoid personal attacks, exaggerations, or judgments, and focus on the behavior, not the person.

5 Empower and motivate the employee

Feedback and coaching should not be seen as a way of imposing your views or decisions on the employee, but as a way of empowering and motivating them to take charge of their own learning and development. Therefore, you should avoid telling the employee what to do or how to do it, and instead guide them to discover their own solutions and potential. You should also help them set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound), and monitor and celebrate their progress and achievements.

6 Follow up and provide ongoing support

Feedback and coaching are not one-time events, but ongoing processes that require follow-up and support. After each session, you should document the main points, outcomes, and action plans, and share them with the employee. You should also schedule regular check-ins, and provide feedback, coaching, and recognition as needed. Moreover, you should be available and accessible for the employee, and encourage them to seek feedback and coaching from other sources, such as peers, mentors, or online resources.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?