Importance of Feedback

Importance of Feedback

Yesterday, I had a mentoring session with a fellow coach, and attended my online class. Funny how you hear things when you should (if you listen) and how one thought can lead into another.
Yesterday I gave thought to benchmarking progress along the journey and how hard it can be to recognize your own progress.
Yesterday, my class work and my mentoring session touched on the subject.
My mentor Gary and I had talked about people who hire us, but really do not want to do what is needed to achieve the goals they set for themselves. In class we talked about the importance of feedback in the coaching process, and it certainly came up that in a coach/client relationship, you can hit a point where it’s just not happening. It may be chemistry, it may be a client who wants, but is not prepared to do the work needed to reach expectations.
In coaching, I am paid to bring out the best in my clients, to help them set goals and reach them. With several of the people I’ve worked with the goals are career or spiritual
in nature; with many, the goals are based around addiction. I like to give great value for money, and appreciate client feedback. I am committed (as are most ethical coaches) to ending a relationship that is not giving the client results. The whys’ of a lack of progress don’t matter. Momentum forward is needed on a journey, whether it’s transforming aspects of life or recovering from addiction. Funny how often in sports you hear a commentator talk about a shift in momentum; just like life. You get on a roll.
The personal journey I’m on mirrors what I do for a living.
Along the trail, feedback, both positive and constructive, keeps the seeker on track. Feedback is both internal (spiritual) and external. I have had great people in my life who have helped me with goal setting and moving constantly forward to achieving the goals.
My goals today are much different than they were 25 years ago. Today’s measurement of success is predicated by the positive impact I’m able to have on others. And I understand that through feedback.
While I coach on a fee for service basis, I am active as a “sponsor” in my 12 step organization. While that role is totally voluntary, and is very different from coaching, feedback is also important, but generally, it is feedback based solely on my personal experience with working a 12 step program and living free from addiction. I enjoy this “service” part of my life, and am truly grateful that I can give back to others and that they give to me in their own way.
There are basics of process in everything that leads to success. Goals must be set, internal talent recognized, and talents applied properly to the achievement of goals, and personal accountability brought in to play!
In golf, the moment you hit a ball, you get feedback because the outcome happens in a matter of seconds right before your eyes. This may be a reason that I enjoy golf and sports so much.
In the game of life, things are not as apparent as a sports game, and feedback on progress (or lack of) is needed to keep us on the right track. May I remember this lesson!