Using Feedback in Coaching

That’s great feedback’ is perhaps one of the most abused and misunderstood catchphrases. While feedback is omnipresent, we may actually not understand it and only be interested in good news. Psychology researchers have long been concerned with what feedback is, how it works and what the results are. This has produced many studies which are equivocal about the value of feedback. This chapter considers the parties and processes involved in the communication of feedback in our section on the core principles underlying feedback: - Who is involved in feedback processes? - When and under what circumstances do we give feedback? - What is the ‘feedback message’? - What factors affect how feedback is received? Next we review the research evidence including a separate section on 360-degree feedback. This will lead us to a practical discussion of the implications of existing research for coaches, critically appraising a prevalent feedback model. Finally, we provide guidelines for best practice. The approach taken in this chapter will encourage and enable practitioners to develop their own feedback models, and optimize these for their own, as well as their coachees’ and clients’ benefit. In general, we have focused this chapter on the world of work and related feedback activities, but refer to other contexts where appropriate