How you handle in-office situations can determine the results, either good or bad. Some dentists give their team members feedback on their job performance, while others prefer to coach their team members to improve their job performance. However, knowing the difference between feedback and coaching can strengthen employee relationships while creating a more efficient workplace and happier team members. Therefore, our dental practice consultants at Bryant Consultants share on the blog today the difference between coaching and feedback and how changing your approach can make a big difference in your practice environment.
Avoid Judgement
Every coaching session should focus on the employee’s goals while keeping the goals of the practice in mind as well. An employee’s coaching session is slowed or halted when the coach shifts focus from the employee to themselves and their own moral and ethical standards.
Our dental office coaches share below three ways to know if you are judging your team members:
- Choose your words carefully. – Words like “but,” “although,” “good,” “bad,” “agree,” and “wrong” indicate that you are passing judgment. Indicating whether or not someone else’s actions are consistent with our own beliefs may be done via the use of language.
- Be cautious of body language. – A person’s body language is a window into how they feel about the choices made by others. Eye rolls, heavy sighs, stiff shoulders, a lack of eye contact, and a subtle shift of the shoulders are all examples of body language that may convey judgment.
- Be careful with your intentions. – When you are secretly attempting to convince someone to do something, are irritated that they see things differently, or you have an agenda with a preferred outcome, you remain judgemental.
Everything’s an Opportunity
The goal of providing feedback is to identify and resolve issues. Employees that get feedback are expected to actively engage in processing that knowledge and figuring out how to put it to use. Unfortunately, the vast majority of comments are sent with negative intent. Those that engage in coaching take a different stance. As a coach, you must be able to look at every setback, error, or blunder as a potential learning experience. Every experience is a stepping stone on the path to becoming our greatest selves.
Ask Curiosity Questions
Statements of fact are the primary emphasis of feedback. When the boss shows up to a meeting with proof of the worker’s past failures, the worker is caught off guard and unable to defend themselves. The leader is certain that what they plan to do is just and right. However, our dental practice coaches explain that any good coach knows the value of posing thoughtful inquiries. It’s common practice for coaches to seek out new information to grasp a situation better.
Co-create a Relationship
One source of authority defines the relationship, and others have no say. An employee’s performance is measured by their ability to complete job responsibilities. Our dental practice consultants explain that while feedback is constructed and rarely open to discussion, coaching relationships are co-created and provide open communication opportunities. The job description and other formal business documents establish performance basics. They don’t limit employee advancement or define the relationship.
Create a Mutually Agreeable Action Plan
Leaders who effectively incorporate criticism tend to develop “do this or else” strategies. Every feedback implies termination or discipline. When a worker’s career is threatened, stress and survival instincts rise. The boss hastened the employee’s exit and cut off any hope for improvement. In coaching, both parties work together to create a mutually beneficial action plan. When designing a coaching action, keep the organization’s goals in mind. Provide feedback that helps recenter the employee’s efforts on the practice goals.
Bryant Consultants
To be effective as a coach, one must be able to suspend judgment, find learning opportunities in setbacks, be open to hearing the employee out while simultaneously fostering an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect, and be prepared to work together to implement a plan of action. Doing this effectively may sound easy, but it may not be so simple. Our dental office coaches understand the challenges surrounding employee coaching and feedback. We can help you change how you speak with your team members so that you get their full commitment and dedication to your practice. Please contact our office by calling (877) 768-4799 or requesting an appointment online to find out more information about effective coaching methods so that you can maintain a positive, growth-filled practice.
