MOLLOY ARTICLE
#12
[ + / ++ ]
Plus / Double Plus Feedback
The Key to Effective Performance Coaching
Thomas Cantrell, Director of Coaching and Training, Molloy Business Development
Winning coaches enhance individual and team performance by focusing on what their people do that works, not what doesn’t.
Focusing on what people are doing wrong tends to put them on the defensive, creating resistance to improvement. Even if they say, “Don’t sugarcoat it; give it to me straight” or, “Just tell me what I’m doing wrong and I’ll fix it”, it still doesn’t work. Why? Because focusing on where people are failing typically pushes them into “fight or flight mode” and they do not effectively process our well-intentioned coaching.
This “fight or flight” resistance to criticism is a natural defense reflex, designed to preserve one’s self-esteem, which is critical to success. Ironically, this protective instinct is also a detriment to improvement.
However, when we focus on what people are doing well, then help them figure out how they could do those things they are doing well, even better, we avoid resistance, establish alignment, build on a solid positive foundation, and enhance the constructive attitudes and behavior already in motion. In addition, enhancing what works typically replaces what doesn’t work – and we don’t even have to mention it.
The complete, “plus / double plus” coaching formulae” is [ + / ++ / – / + ]. As you see, there are four steps:
Step 1 = +
[ + / ++ / – / + ]
First, we recognize what is being done right and identify why it works. Acknowledging what is being done well encourages those constructive behaviors and establishes a baseline for performance advancement.
Step 2 = ++
[ + / ++ / – / + ]
Next, we identify how what is being done well can be done even better. If they are doing so well we don’t know how they could do better, ask them.
Step 3 = –
[ + / ++ / – / + ]
Now, we may want to identify what they are doing that they shouldn’t or what they aren’t doing that they should. This may be redundant, though, because enhancing what works often minimizes or replaces what doesn’t.
Step 4 = +
[ + / ++ / – / + ]
We conclude our coaching sessions by asking them what they plan to do better and how we can help them achieve that enhanced performance.
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Strangely, feedback and coaching conversations usually focus on what is being done wrong while what is being done right is brushed over with a vague “other than that, you’re doing fine.” Often these conversations skip over successes entirely and begin abruptly with failures.
This common tendency to focus on what’s wrong may seem natural, but it isn’t. It likely feels natural because that’s how we were typically taught or coached from childhood; still, it doesn’t work. Emphasizing what others are doing wrong not only creates resistance, it focuses on the wrong thing. Instead of being guided to higher performance, those “coached” in this way are left not knowing “what to do” because all they hear is “what not to do.”
First focusing on what works [+], then building on that [++], maximizes improvement, as it minimizes resistance to criticism. It enhances critically important coaching attitudes and assures those coached that they have what it takes to achieve performance they may have otherwise never considered.
Like learning any new skill, it takes commitment and practice to consistently and effectively apply this approach to our coaching; nevertheless, it is well worth the time and effort as this approach to feedback and coaching will enhance your performance management and leadership – exponentially!
©2024/25 Thomas Cantrell ~ Permission to reprint is granted provided this copyright notice is included.