Giving and receiving feedback as a coach or player are vital. Think back to the lesson of Boston surgeon Atul Gawande who hired a surgeon to oversee his surgery. His senior colleague made valuable comments to help him improve. Everyone benefits from coaching.
I recall a key line from Thomas Crane, be "performance-focused, feedback rich to achieve sustainable competitive advantage."
I remember critical feedback that changed me as a player and coach.
"You have to change positions, you're not big enough to be a forward." Our high school team had a least five players who were 6'5" tall. I was 6' 1 1/2 inches.
"You have to get quicker to defend the guards in this league." I spent a lot of time at practice as a junior guarding "Frank" dribbling. Frank was lightning fast with the ball. In the offseason, I jumped rope. I got quicker.
"You have to handle the ball better against the press." I played a lot in the summer to become adequate at either the 1 or the 2. Because I guarded the opponent's top guard, I almost never got substituted out. Somebody has to do dirty jobs.
"Play your best player more." Cecilia already played the most minutes and legitimately should have always been in there. Minutes always come at a premium. I increased her playing time from about two-thirds of the game to 75-80 percent of the time. She earned everything by showing up ninety percent of the time for offseason training. Herb Welling told me, "When you get the special player, you have to take care of her."
"Speak up." As med students, you learn your role. Intern Ann Knowlton advised me to share more of what I knew. At graduation I got the Boston University award (including $100) for excellence in Internal Medicine. Learn how to participate.
Tips to provide better feedback:
- Remember "Communication begins at the listener's ear."
- Make the feedback palatable.
- "Shout praise and whisper criticism."
- Use "sandwich technique" putting correction between praise.
- Keep the praise to criticism ratio above 3:1
- Use "and" instead of "but." You did well AND differs from you did well BUT..."
