Five Tips for Effective Feedback

Guest Post fron Liza Provenzano


As an HR professional, I’ve been engaged in many conversations in the workplace about the importance of feedback and what effective feedback looks like. However, one of the best examples of effective feedback that I’d like to share took place behind the bench at a hockey game. I have been playing women’s recreational hockey for about five years. While I grew up,  girls hockey didn’t exist. But, as an adult, I found an opportunity to take up the sport and get engaged in a game that had always intrigued me. I was a little nervous to start because I didn’t know the game that well but I could skate and I was eager.

The first season was fun but at times, I was frustrated because I wasn’t sure what I should be doing to improve. We didn’t have a coach behind the bench and unless a supportive teammate gave a suggestion here or there, I was left to figure it out myself. In our second season, we had a coach. He knew hockey and he loved teaching the game. As soon as I would complete a shift and come off the ice, he would give me feedback.  When I would step back on the ice for my next shift one minute later, I would feel more confident and knowledgeable about how to play this exciting sport.

If we look at this simple example, we can see the characteristics of great feedback.

• It is immediate. The coach’s feedback was much more salient when it was provided right after my shift as opposed to after the game and I could accurately recall exactly what play he would be talking about.
• It is specific.      He would refer to one play and be able to tell me exactly what I did, or didn’t do, that helped or hurt my performance.
• It is a source of recognition. He pointed out positive performance and I knew what to continue doing.
• It is constructive. In those shifts where I made a mistake, he didn’t sugar coat his comments but instead, outlined other options that I had in how could have handled the play and explained how those other options may resulted in better outcomes.
• It is quick. Hockey is a fast game and I wasn’t the only one that he was talking to behind that bench. He had to get to the point. It was a classic example of how “less is more”.

Finally, one of the most important aspects of effective feedback is that it is most powerful when the relationship between the person giving it, and the person receiving it, is based on trust and respect. In that hockey season, I knew that the coach was working hard to make us a better team.  In that climate, the recipient can be confident that the feedback is being given in the spirit of genuine support and care which will only serve to deepen the commitment one has to perform and give it their best.

Liza Provenzano is the Founder and CEO of SparkHR, a human resources consulting company that helps small and medium sized businesses achieve their goals by building productive, capable and engaged teams. To learn more about SparkHR, visit our website at www.sparkhr.cahttp://www.sparkhr.ca/.

George Torok Host of Business in Motion Business Speaker Listen to Business in Motion audio PodCasts On iTunes Business in Motion on Facebook

Wayne Einhorn Interview on Business in Motion

Wayne Einhorn is my guest on Business in Motion this week. Listen in to Business in Motion on radio station 93.3 CFMU. Fridays at 12 noon eastern time.

Wayne Einhorn, an internationally renowned speaker, senior executive, Implementation Engineer and board member has been involved in businesses at all levels for twenty seven years. Today he is a Managing Partner at EDI, an organization that drives implementation that improves cash flow and profit for hundreds of businesses around the world today.

In addition to earning his MBA at the top ranked Richard Ivey School of Business, Wayne is a founding partner of EDIImplementation Professionals Inc. EDI is an organization of implementation experts providing strategic solutions that transform enterprises, empowering them to identify and capitalize on business opportunities.

Today EDI has logged thousands of hours of successful client implementations – knowledge that Wayne will share with you today.

Along with his corporate responsibilities, Wayne loves spending time with his family which includes his wife and three teenage children. Wayne is a pilot, an outdoorsman and generously volunteers his time to several organizations. He has served on the Board of Directors at YOUTHLINK, - an organization committed to helping the growing number of street involved youth in Metropolitan Toronto and is currently on the board of STEPS a not for profit dedicated to assisting people whose lives have been affected by addiction to integrate back into society.

George Torok Host of Business in Motion Business Speaker
Listen to Business in Motion audio PodCasts On iTunes Business in Motion on Facebook

Can You Be a Health Coach?

You are invited to attend a Health Coach webinar event (60-minutes) that will demonstrate how to earn an income as a Professional Health Coach usingweb based systems for coaching. This complimentary presentation is hosted by Hilton Johnson Productions, the people who have pioneered professional Health Coaching with web-based technology.http://www.globalteleclass.com/specialhc240b

Companies like Google, Motorola and UnitedHealthCare are employing web- based health coaches everyday to address the problems of healthcare directly.

Because of the demand, there is a shortage of good qualified health coaches. Could this be the next billion dollar business?

Health coaching is changing healthcare because it helps people not to get sick in the first place. Web-based coaching allows almost anyone to quickly build a professional coaching practice/income and deliver excellent coaching.

This teleconference call/webinar will show you exactly how. You can be a successful health coach without any selling, prospecting, or using any persuasive techniques. This call will take place on: Wednesday, July 13th at 2:00 PM ET (New York Time) To attend this complimentary training session click on the link below or copy and paste it into your web-browser. (You will need to be on your phone and the Internet to attend this event.)http://www.globalteleclass.com/specialhc240b

The concept makes sense to me. I would rather avoid those colds then suffer through.

George Torok

Monkey See Monkey Do

Remember that old expression? Some folks might not like the analogy but it expresses this lesson in management well.

If you want your staff to focus on a particular behaviour – as the leader you need to focus on it yourself.

Follow these three steps to getting the behaviour that you want from your staff.

1. Let them see you doing what you want them to do.

2. Make the desired behaviour a regular agenda item.

3. Encourage and celebrate the desired behaviour in your staff.


People, like animals, will tend to behave in a manor that rewards them.

Imagine that you want to take a customer-centric focus in your business. That is a smart strategy to follow in these challenging times.

As manager or business owner, what could you do?

Here are some ideas for you.

Treat customers as king and queen and mean it. No snide remarks behind their backs about your customers.

Start every staff meeting with a customer story. Invite staff to bring and tell their best customer story at each meeting. Make it a contest among your staff.

Collect more customer testimonials and display them for all to see.

Tour customers through your facility more often.

Name your customer of the month, week or day.

Give awards to your staff for customer service. Ask your customers to vote.

Allow and encourage your staff to make direct contact with your customers. Don’t be the buffer between them.

Consult with your staff for more information about your customers. Don’t be the source of information. Be the one asking questions.

Show the monkeys what you want them to do.


George Torok

Business Speaker

Creative Problem Solving

TEC Canada Speaker

George Torok is an approved speaker for TEC Canada and has been since 2000. George is also a TEC Associate/ Trusted Advisor. He is a member of TA group 9226 based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The chair of the group is Larry Bourk.

George Torok has spoken to TEC groups across Canada from BC to Halifax, NS and many stops in between.

He presents on three topics - Power Marketing, Presentation Skills and Creative Problem Solving.

The Executive Committee, (TEC) founded in 1957 is dedicated to "Increasing the effectiveness and enhancing the lives of Chief Executives."

TEC provided both peer advise and individual coaching to presidents, CEOs and owners of medium sized business, (sales of $10M to $200M).

Read more about:

TEC Canada

George Torok TEC Speaker

Power Marketing

Presentation Skills

Creative Problem Solving