It’s been a great couple of months for sports fans. Basketball, the World Cup, and for people like me who grew up with a father who loved baseball—I feel summer through the sounds of radio announcers calling the game for us. It’s that season.
It was a real surprise for me when, earlier this year, I was asked by Hamilton College to talk to their athletic coaches about feedback. And when I was asked to return and work with them on the Critical Response Process. Head softball coach Stephanie Hartquist reported after our sessions:
“As a coach, I’m constantly looking for better ways to bridge the gap between intent and impact. Our role is built on feedback, yet we receive so little formal training on how to deliver it in a way that truly unlocks player buy-in and commitment. I’ve realized that the coach-athlete relationship is a unique ecosystem, and trust is the soil where development grows.”
It’s always so good when everyone in the room is discovering. This was the case with the coaches. Thinking about the myriad ways they give feedback—and the intensity of some of the timing of that feedback—has given me an opportunity to consider anew how we establish environments that foster the best in each of us even when there is urgency and no time for dialogue. After all, athletic coaches give feedback during the performance.
We will be doing more in this arena. Stay tuned.
