Do you want to be a better coach?
We all do.
But sometimes it can be hard to figure out what we need to focus on to improve (if you’re like me, it’s because there are so many ways we want to grow).
Learning how to collect and use feedback on your coaching practice is an absolute game changer to continually improve your coaching practice over time. It’s the number one strategy I use every single day to work towards becoming a better coach.
Enter: the simplest strategy ever!
Ask for feedback from your coaching partner.
In a previous episode I talked about the “one coaching question that will transform your practice.”
This is the strategy I have been using for years to help me continue to grow.
But recently I was chatting with a client who wants to be even more intentional about building their coaching capacity.
We talked about how they can get even more direct and specific feedback about their practice from both their coaching partners and their school admin.
They wanted to make sure they get feedback in a variety of ways:
- In the moment, during coaching conversations
- Delayed, after their coaching partner has time for reflection
So we talked about one simple tweak to that coaching question that will get them exactly the feedback they want.
What’s YOUR level of coaching mastery?
All coaches go through various stages of coaching mastery. Once you identify where you’re at, you can begin to build the skills needed to move to the next stage.
This quiz is based on real-life case studies compiled from years of working with coaches inside The Coach Certificate & Mentorship Program!
When you receive your results, you’ll also get your matching case study from the STRIVE Case Studies to see where you fit in the stages of coaching mastery.
Ready to tackle your challenges and move on to the next level in YOUR coaching practice?
The STRIVE Model of Coaching Mastery quiz will help you identify your level of coaching mastery by matching you with case studies compiled from years of working with coaches inside The Coach Certificate & Mentorship Program so you can easily see where you fit!
When you complete the quiz, you’ll get:
- Your matching case study,
- Specific strengths & challenges aligned to your result;
- Suggested next steps for each stage;
Plus the Case Study Document includes:
- Case studies leveled by coaching mastery;
- A framework to identify essential stages of professional growth & key areas to focus on in your professional learning;
- Alignment with the THRIVE Model for a Successful Coaching Culture;
- Space for you to reflect & prioritize so you can take action immediately!
You’ll go straight to the Quiz, and get the Case Study Document via email.
Two Ways to Collect Feedback From Your Coaching Partner
1: In the moment
A way you could get some targeted during real time conversations is by asking for direct feedback within the conversation itself.
You might want to do this differently depending on how long you’ve been working with a coaching partner.
If you’ve worked with someone for a long time, they know you well and your style.
- Let the coaching partner know that you’re intentionally working on a specific skill (maybe you’ve been reading some articles about this, or you’re doing coaching PD, like my client, or you’ve received some feedback about something), so you may be a little “slower” with the conversation & you’ll ask for feedback at the end
OR
- With a new coaching partner you could say: “this was our first conversation, one of things I’m always working on as a coach is asking really great questions, how did I do today? Were there any questions that really resonated with you?”
The beauty of this process is that you can use this same question framing for any coaching skill, and in almost any coaching situation.
Every single time you have a coaching conversation, there is an opportunity for you to get feedback – and in this case, be really intentional about the feedback you collect.
2: Delayed, after their coaching partner has time for reflection
This could be an email, an actual survey form, a note popped into their mailbox, or a quick drop by their classroom.
You could ask: “As a member of the coaching team, I’m working on XYZ (list of 5-10 things), based on our conversations, which one of these things should I focus on as my area of growth?”
Why Seek Feedback From Your Coaching Partners?
The beautiful thing about both of these options – whether you do them both or you chose just one is that:
1: You’re modeling coachability and growth mindset
When you are asking these kinds of questions, you are demonstrating that you’re willing to be vulnerable and ask about areas you can improve. You’re doing exactly the thing that you’re asking your coaching partners to do. You’re showing them directly that you are always growing.
You can even be intentional about pointing this out, to help your coaching partner recognize that you are reflecting too, that reflecting is valuable for everyone (which might prompt them to recognize ways that they can be more reflective)
2: You’re bringing clarity to your role
Asking for feedback in this way helps define the skills of a great coach, gives clarity to the role and helps describe the work that coaches do. Essentially this kind of question is actually telling the person you’re asking what your job is.
Oftentimes, our coaching partners (teachers and leaders alike) may not fully understand the difference between coaching, mentoring and consulting. They go into the conversation, and it’s a little bit of a “black box” about how it works. They just know they’ve had a great conversation. This kind of question sheds some light on the intentional work you are doing as a coach to facilitate “a great conversation.”
One of the things most coaches struggle with is helping their community understand the work of coaches. Both teachers and administrators are familiar with the word coaching, most of them have been coached before, but the type of coaching they are familiar with (or they have received) is often more like mentoring or consulting.
When you are intentional about the way you receive feedback, you are also creating an opportunity for your coaching partner to better understand the work you do, and the skills you’re bringing to the conversation as a coach.
Work with me for more conversations like this!
This post was inspired by a coaching conversation I had with a client! I’m sharing it here because it gives you an insight into the kinds of things we talk about and it also shows that I’m always learning in those conversations too. This was a very organic coaching moment that began when I was listening to my coaching partner’s question, and was genuinely curious about how they might address this issue, so I said: “If your coaching partner might not know the skills of a coach, is there a way you can tell them: this is my job, which of these things can I be better at?” We ended up building from there and coming to this really practical and sustainable idea that can work for any coach, any time in any context!
Watch the Video
If you’re ready to start being more intentional about collecting feedback on your coaching practice – come join us in one of our courses for coaches!
Ready to create a coaching culture that improves student learning and builds belonging?
Come learn with me!
I help educators, instructional coaches, informal or positional leaders work together to create thriving coaching cultures that improve student learning and build belonging.
Coaching programs based on the Thrive Model, with clarity, consistency and community, can create time and space for educators to feel seen, heard, respected and valued for the experts that they are – creating a sustainable system of educator professional growth that ultimately improves student learning.
For this kind of coaching to thrive we need to focus on both the micro view of your coaching practice and the macro view of your coaching program, so while you’re developing your individual coaching practice you’re also intentionally developing a sustainable coaching culture.
If you’re ready to build this kind of coaching culture in your school community, join us for the Thrive Coaching Certificate program!
Wherever you are in your coaching journey, we can support you!
When you’re ready, there are three key ways we can work together:
- in the Thrive Coaching Certificate,
- in a private mentoring package, or
- through work directly with your school.
Leave a comment below, or reply to any of my emails and let’s start a conversation to see how we can work together to create a thriving coaching culture in your school setting!
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