Feedback

Time flies when you are having fun – Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of FLOW in action I reckon. It would be fair to say things have been flowing since February for Lightsmith and there is much joy in the work I have been doing.

It has been a bit of a mixture – some ongoing work in the logistics world, primary manufacturing, Learning and Development providers, Civil Engineering and of course HP Sport across a number of codes and coaches – workshop delivery, programme reviews and 1 – 1.

A couple of observations over the last 5 months are that there is more 1 – 1 work emerging, and secondly that the majority of work I am doing is with people and businesses that I have been involved with for 3 years or more, so I might be getting somthing right?

The 1 – 1 work I call ‘thinking buddy’ work. I use this term rather than mentoring and it is a key for me in the learning relationship that there is no hierarchy of position – rather two people having a performance conversation. It is great that businesses are investing in people.

That I have some strong, long-term relationships established might further speak to the value of the work – but how does an individual consultant like me really know – that little imposter still sits on the shoulder at times…?

As part of the work I do with individuals and groups, getting performance feedback is one of the areas we look at…So I guess then you have got to walk the talk!

While I always do seek feedback, and I have had some wonderful colleagues who have given me feedback gifts over the years – thank you Ashley Light, Kereyn Smith, Don Tricker, Lyn Gunson, Graeme Robson, Richard Taylor, Alex McKenzie, Bruce Blair, Craig Philpott to name a few, this year I have made it a specific focus.

I have used a variety of approaches – specific individual feedback at the end of each 1 -1 session, group hindsight feedback via survey – went well, didn’t go well, needs to be done better – (every Core Knowledge workshop is evaluated) and asking people in group presentations to focus on a particular area and give me their observations after.

The outcome…I have been incredibly humbled by the feedback and it has reaffirmed that my approach in working with people is effective…

‘I enjoy that there is no agenda. When we go into these catch ups, it will either stem into something new, or we might go back and look at something from a previous catch up that I want to discuss more in-depth’

‘Richard was really engaging and presents his message in a way that makes it accessible for everyone…’

There has also been feedback that has made me reflect on improvement – ‘Richard needs to be more demanding of us in being responsible for our learning between sessions’.

I am grateful for the gifts of feedback I have received in helping me know how I am going and how to get better.

So what are your performance feedback processes to help you grow?