The Only Training Tool your team will ever need.
Training calendars rock my socks. Leadership coaching makes my heart sing. Customer experience programs are music to my ears… But regardless of the business you’re in - whether retail store, support office, or a whole other industry…. most training is meaningful without this one key ingredient. It’s the glue that keeps every program alive and keeps every team member engaged. The secret to true training success is contained in these four simple (hyphenated) words:
IMAGE VIA CAMILLA AND MARC
On-the-Fly Feedback
I hear you over there thinking, duhh, this ain’t nothing new, sis. But let me tell you, when a client or team member confides in me about a performance issue, the first question I ask is ‘have you had the conversation with them yet?’ and 99% of the time, the answer is ‘no.’
Without on-the-fly feedback, most other training moments are meaningless…
Why spend the time conducting annual appraisals if you aren’t giving the feedback throughout the year, leading up to the appraisal, in the moment where it is most powerful?
Why invest in training modules, if your leaders aren’t giving on-the-fly feedback to correct the behaviour after the fact?
Why train a team on service if on-the-fly moments of praise aren’t happening when that behaviour is observed?
Why host annual appraisals, or monthly one:one’s to address issues weeks or months down the track. Are these goal setting and performance tools really valuable if you aren’t giving feedback in-between and along the way?
Identifying areas of improvement on-the-fly and in the exact moment they are happening is the most steadfast way to coach, develop and up-skill your team.
If you’re someone who often finds themselves shying away from giving on-the-fly feedback, consider this:
Your team only know what they know. Never assume someone know’s they aren’t meeting expectations unless you have told them.
Silence is acceptance. We will always assume what we are doing is the right thing until we are told otherwise.
It is human nature to seek praise and feedback. We all crave this type of development and feedback.
Positive on-the-fly feedback is equally as important as constructive feedback.
It is your duty as a leader to identify this behaviour and support your team to improve.
On-the-fly feedback takes less than 30 seconds to execute and can correct a skill for life.
A simple formula to give this feedback
WHEN did the actions happen (hopefully this sounds a bit like ‘just now, I noticed you…)
WHY does that behaviour impact the business (refer to training modules or policies you have)
HOW to do it better next time (give tips on how to execute more effectively next time)
Give the feedback, observe actions later, and keep the conversation going throughout the day. Praise when behaviours improve or continue coaching if they remain unchanged. These conversations should happen each and every day.
In the wise words of a favourite lady of mine, “nothing is so bad we can’t talk about it.”
The most meaningful training moments happen in the midst of your regular day. The best leaders never shy away from on-the-fly feedback and know it’s power and importance in our every day life.