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Feedback
Chapter 5.4 (Acceleration)
Draft 5/1/09
“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.” – Ken Blanchard
I was in for quite a few surprises when I learned how to white water kayak a few years ago, including a first hand lesson in why helmets are basic kayaking gear. I also discovered that the goal of a typical white water trip was not to travel from the put-in to the take-out point but rather to play in the river as much as possible. For example, kayakers seek out places where water flowing over large rocks creates standing waves curling back upstream. They can angle their boats into the current, paddle onto the wave, shift their weight forward and down, and “surf” facing upstream.
Once I learned how to do it, I loved it. At my skill level, it required vigorous paddling to hold my position on the wave. The river raced by on both sides, and the wave tumbled beneath me. There was a wonderful sensation of speed and movement. I found it exhilarating. When I found a good wave, I wanted to stay on it as long as possible. From the perspective of someone on the riverbank, however, the kayak was stationary. From their point of view, I was flailing away but going nowhere.
You can easily compare this to the work setting. Imagine a day or week when things are coming at you one after another: a series of challenges or crises that demand action, that call upon you to react quickly and decisively. That can be exhilarating, too. You can feel like you are getting things done. From the perspective of an outsider, however, you may be flailing away but going nowhere.
How can you tell? For most of us, this is where feedback and coaching can make the biggest impact. Feedback from a friend, colleague, or trusted observer can help open our eyes to what we are “blind” about in ourselves. Feedback can help us learn when we are surfing the wave, experiencing a great sensation of purpose and movement but going nowhere. Accepting feedback requires the confidence to be open and the humility to learn. When leaders and organizations struggle, it is often because they have not built in an effective feedback loop. You cannot lead and manage if you cannot evaluate your progress. That is the plight of managers in organizations where feedback is undervalued.
Feedback is an “accelerator” in making your experience matter because it capitalizes on the learning potential of each situation. Done effectively, it addresses both Type A and Type B filtering described in Chapter (5.3). Good feedback provides accurate, not distorted, information about our performance. As many people are discovering, a talented coach is one of the best sources of useful feedback. It is often easier for a person from the outside to articulate what people on the inside are feeling but can’t verbalize. Sometimes, they are too close to see, and sometimes they fear to speak up because of possible consequences.
Good coaches can identify small adjustments that will make big impacts. They point out counterproductive tactics and behaviors, but their main strategy is to accentuate and build on the talents of those they coach. They are outsiders who get inside – combining objectivity and insight. They learn what makes you tick and use that understanding to individualize their approach. A coach is someone who can hold up a mirror to show you how you appear to others and help you develop a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of yourself and your performance.
The need for a coach differs from person to person. Some people have developed much greater personal awareness and group insight than others and may have less need for a coach. Ironically, however, it is such people who may be most open to coaching and most likely to benefit from it, while those who need it most may be most resistant to the opportunity. That is why feedback and coaching fit under the heading of accelerators. They build on the skills of paying attention and listening and help overcome the challenges of filtering.
Application: Begin by recognizing that the way that things appear through your eyes is not necessarily the way they appear to others. Richard Feynman, the physicist once noted: “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool.” Improve your understanding by seeking and accepting feedback from trusted friends or colleagues. To give yourself the greatest opportunity for learning, take advantage of formal coaching if that is available to you in your organization.
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