Actionable Feedback

If you don't take opportunities to provide specific, detailed feedback as often as it is welcome, let's do better.? When we are tempted to just say "good job" or think "that could have been better but I don't want to be overly critical," let's push ourselves and share feedback when folks have told us they want more.

When we reach a level of competency where expectations are being met or exceeded, it becomes increasingly difficult to drive growth and development.? Because there is no forcing mechanism that requires better from us, it falls to those craving more to drive it.? If you've been expecting your manager to do this for you, you may be waiting for a long time.

Let's start with why and then move to what and how.

When we don't know what we want to get better at, our growth curve will remain flat.? The issue may be rooted in a lack of alignment that prevents us from effectively pursuing the what and the how.? As I work with leaders across disciplines, I have started to witness a fairly consistent phenomenon.? Successful people seem to rarely gain momentum when we try to focus on things we are supposed to do or should do.

Most of us have something we think we are supposed to be doing (e.g. increasing our visibility, building our brand, networking, reading, sleeping more, etc.) and yet we don't.? We accomplish plenty but with this thing, we remain in neutral.? I am proposing that it may not be aligned with our purpose so maybe we drop it.? The guilt is not changing our behavior so we find something we want to work on that may move us forward.? Again, let's keep in mind that these are areas of growth that no one is demanding of us so we have agency to apply intention to an area that we are aligned with.

Many "successful" people do not know their why so if this is you, you are far from alone.? Some of us found success in some measure, and yet we know in our bones that something is missing.

In Coactive coaching, we hold that people are naturally creative, resourceful and whole.? We do know what our why is deep down somewhere, but there may be a lot of stuff in the way preventing us from seeing it.? If you work with a coach and don't know what your values are, drop everything else until you lay this foundation.? If you don't work with a coach, contemplate where and when in your life, you just felt right.? This was a peak experience but it could also have been an everyday situation. What values were being honored? Who were you being in that moment? Honest answers to these questions should start to illuminate what matters most to you.

“Achievement is something you reach or attain, like a goal. It is something tangible, clearly defined and measurable. Success, in contrast, is a feeling or state of being.” Simon Sinek

If you know your why and are value aligned to your purpose, let's move to the what.

What would increase your impact in the areas that matter most to you?

What is preventing you?

What would further enable you?

This is not the place to consider people or things beyond your control.? Keep your focus inward, and you should see areas to get to work on.? If you're stuck, find a coach, colleague, or leader you trust to reflect on these questions with.? What we most urgently need to address is often our biggest blind spot.? Being brave and intentional enough to spend time with someone who can help us see it is often required.

I care about X and need to be better at Y because it matters to me.

A primary challenge with "how" is that most of our work is not visible to someone who could provide high quality feedback.? Who do I know who is better at Y than me?? Can I share with them for collaboration, visibility and critique? Have I designed my relationship so I will receive direct, actionable feedback?? Can I invite someone to observe my doing Y?? What systems will I put in place to recognize progress, regression and maintain momentum?? How will I recognize success?

If you're pushing for growth with something you don't care about, find something better to get better at.? Get uncomfortable with who you pull into your feedback loops.? You'll be glad you did.