You're advising a high-ranking executive you're close to. How do you give feedback without bias?

Start by gathering relevant facts and data to support your feedback, focusing on specific examples and measurable outcomes rather than personal opinions. Establish clear evaluation criteria aligned with organizational standards and consciously separate personal feelings from the professional context. A structured feedback approach, such as the SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) model, can be used to describe the situation, observed behavior, and its impact without personal judgment. Encourage self-reflection and facilitate a two-way dialogue, highlighting strengths and improvement areas. If possible, seek a second opinion to ensure your feedback is balanced and unbiased, and document your feedback for future reference.

Focus on Behavior: Address specific actions or behaviors rather than personal traits. Use Data: Back up your feedback with concrete examples or data. Avoid assumptions. Be Solution-Oriented: Offer constructive suggestions for improvement. Stay Neutral: Avoid favoritism or prejudice.

If you're close to your client, you can still aim for objectivity. What might change (compared to other clients) is your tone of voice or body language, or the shared humor you've developed over time. I might say "Let's switch gears here" to transition into giving feedback. There are many trusted leadership frameworks to use as a conversation-starter. All of these provide a neutral playing field. If you've got more time, Stakeholder Mapping (2x2 matrix) and stakeholder interviews will widen the pool of outside perspectives to share. This keeps you out of the equation. Build on your mutual trust with a "let's explore this" attitude. Focus on "How do you see this impacting your day-to-day behaviors and measurable outcomes?"

Grundsätzlich ist es unprofessionell eine mir nahe stehende Person zu coachen, egal an welcher Stelle in der Hierarchie sie positioniert ist. Sollte es dennoch der Fall sein, weil man z.B. der interne Coach ist, gilt es, die für einen Coach übliche Neutralität zu wahren. Ein Coach gibt kein Feedback, da dieses eine Wertung beinhaltet. Im Coaching spiegeln wir stattdessen, was empathisches Zuhören voraussetzt. Ein Coach fokussiert niemals - so wie eine Führungskraft - nur auf messbare Ergebnisse oder Benchmarks, sondern regt den Coachee an, zu reflektieren, was seine derzeitige Situation mit seiner Persönlichkeit, seinen Lebensumständen oder seiner Motivation zu tun hat. Coaching ist ein ganzheitlicher Ansatz, auch für das obere Management.

Utilizing structured feedback frameworks, such as the Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) model, enables you to provide precise and impartial feedback. Start by describing the context in which the behavior took place, then detail the behavior in an objective manner, and finally, explain the impact of that behavior on the team or organization. This method fosters targeted discussions about particular incidents and their effects, avoiding broad character evaluations that may be influenced by personal biases. Additionally, incorporating follow-up actions or solutions can further enhance the effectiveness of the feedback process, promoting continuous improvement.

Ein strukturiertes Feedback erhält eine Führungskraft von ihrer Führungskraft, nicht von einem Coach, auch nicht von einem Berater. Anders als der Coach kann der Berater zwar Ratschläge erteilen, aber eine Wertung, wie sie im Feedback enthalten ist, gibt auch er nicht ab. Der Coach spiegelt auf Basis empathischen Zuhörens wahrgenommenes Verhalten oder die Gefühlslage des Coachees, um diesen zu Reflexion und Lösungsfindung im eigenen System anzuregen. Auch Metaphern kommen im Coaching zum Einsatz, um eine Verhaltensänderung über Selbstreflexion zu induzieren. Dieser Prozess nimmt eine gewisse Zeit in Anspruch, da das Gehirn neues Verhalten erst spuren und ggf. altes Verhalten löschen muss. Dies alles geschieht nur im Klienstensystem.

Start by asking open-ended questions that prompt the executive to reflect on their performance and identify areas for improvement. Facilitate a two-way dialogue where the executive can share their perspectives and insights. This approach helps them gain self-awareness and allows them to take ownership of their development. By guiding them to assess their strengths and weaknesses, you ensure the feedback process is collaborative and balanced, minimizing personal bias and promoting constructive growth.

Die Führungskraft ist an der Selbsteinschätzung nicht nur beteiligt, sondern kann diese nur alleine für sich leisten und dann kommunizieren. Feedback geben weder Coach noch Berater, da dieses eine Wertung impliziert, die nur die übergeordnete Führungskraft vornimmt. Der Coach spiegelt statt dessen auf Basis empathischen Zuhörens z.B. wie er die Selbsteinschätzung der Führungskraft wahrnimmt. und unterstützt damit die Intensivierung des Selbstreflexionsprozesses. Die Reflexion von Stärken, Schwächen und Potentialen erhöht die Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung der Führungskraft und bietet Ansatzpunkte für die Lösungsfindung im eigenen System. Die Spiegelung der Selbstreflexion durch den Coach bietet der Führungskraft neue Perspektiven und Impulse.

Encouraging open dialogue is crucial for delivering effective feedback. Make sure the executive feels at ease sharing their viewpoints and challenges. Practice active listening and acknowledge their emotions and experiences. This bidirectional communication can help reduce unconscious bias by allowing you to comprehend their actions within their context. By promoting a culture of open dialogue, you create an environment conducive to honest discussions and mutual development. Additionally, this approach can strengthen trust and collaboration, leading to more meaningful and productive feedback sessions.

When advising a high-ranking executive, giving unbiased feedback is crucial. Start by reflecting on your own biases and assumptions. Approach the feedback with empathy and a focus on specific behaviors or outcomes, rather than personal characteristics. Use data and examples to support your observations, and encourage open dialogue to ensure mutual understanding and growth. As a leadership coach, fostering a culture of honest feedback helps executives navigate challenges effectively and develop professionally.

Self-reflection is crucial in maintaining objectivity and effectiveness. I regularly examine my own biases, recognizing their potential influence on the feedback I provide. 🤔🔍 To help this, I've implemented two key practices: 👉 A coaching buddy, this peer-to-peer interaction provides valuable external perspectives. 🤝👥 👉 Ongoing supervision from my coaching academy gives me professional oversight helps refine my approach and maintain the highest standards. 🎓📚 These practices, combined with regular self-reflection, help me remain objective and deliver unbiased, impactful coaching to my clients. It's an ongoing process of growth and learning that enhances the value I bring to each coaching relationship. 🌱💡

Wenn man einen Coaching-Fall übernimmt, sollte man sich stets fragen, wie man selbst zu der in Frage stehenden Thematik steht und was sie mit einem selbst zu tun hat. Andernfalls läuft man Gefahr, die eigene Einstellung zu übertragen oder dem Coachee die eigene Lösung zu empfehlen. Um diesen Prozess der Selbstreflexion und Psychohygiene am Laufen zu halten, sollte man als Coach auch regelmäßig Peer-Coaching und Supervision nutzen. Auch wenn man als Coach nicht therapiert, sollte man die Phänomene der Übertragung und Gegenübertragung kennen und in Rechnung stellen. Zu bedenken ist auch, dass der Coachee seinerseits Vorurteile mitbringt und diese transparent werden sollten, um eine tragfähige Beziehung aufbauen zu können.

Setting clear boundaries seems to be the most critical part of the discussion. This is a critical component of an effective coaching relationship. While you can give some subjective opinion when asked for it, the goal of any good coach is enabling self-discovery–you are merely a toolkit for them to leverage. Executives are often intelligent and focused individuals, and they value objectivity and honesty. Set the purpose, the boundaries and the objective of the relationship, sign off on it together so there is no obscurity and then onwards.

As per my experience, even though it is self initiated by high ranking executive, feedback has to be conveyed in subtle way. Subtle means there is clarity in message and at the same time choice of words doesn’t crosses the boundaries of status attached to the position of high ranking executive. It may not be easy as the definition of subtle is subjective and differ person to person not necessarily position to position. Being in moment can help handle this subjectivity.

In a perfect world, our feedback would always be objective, balanced, and fair. But the world is not perfect, and our criticism of others is often influenced in ways we don’t realize. Our biases lead us to categorize, compare, and make assumptions that reinforce our own—often unintentional—favoritisms, preconceptions, and prejudices, as well as common stereotypes. These conscious and unconscious biases create judgment errors and affect the feedback we give and receive in every part of our lives.