Giving Feedback

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This page is designed to complement Understanding the Results. Recommendations and guidelines for providing feedback in personal coaching, professional development, group settings, and selection are provided. It is not the goal of this page to be all-encompassing; delivering meaningful and effective feedback must begin with a solid understanding of the EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360® 2.0 coupled with effective coaching and interpersonal skills. This page will address feedback best practices as they relate to the EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 2.0; the importance of establishing meaningful feedback goals; and the responsibilities of the coach, consultant, counselor or HR professional in the feedback process.

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The feedback process is your opportunity to engage your client, offering the opportunity to discuss his or her results with you. It is strongly encouraged that the feedback process consists of a one-on-one conversation so that the client can feel comfortable and will be open to working through the rich and plentiful information that is presented in the EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 2.0. In the event the consultant should engage a group of EQ-i 2.0 users, group feedback should include a discussion of the group’s overall results, and individual results should not be discussed while in the group session. The goals of the feedback session, whether in a group or one-on-one, should include the following:

1. Ensure the client has gained an accurate understanding of his or her EQ-i 2.0 results. If the EQ 360 2.0 is applicable, it is equally important that the coach and client have worked sufficiently through the self portion of the results prior to proceeding to the rater information.
2. Ensure the focus is on opportunity, and not on good or bad scores. Where necessary, the consultant should help the client move away from judgment and negative reactions to embrace the opportunities in leveraging their strengths and developing underutilized or underdeveloped skills.
3. The EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 2.0 feedback process is as much about creating self-awareness as it is about promoting change. We must remember that the information provided by EQ-i 2.0 is merely a reflection of the client’s self perception. As a result, it is the coach’s role to help his or her client work through any perceived obstacles that may prevent the client from embracing the feedback process.
4. Prior to concluding the feedback process the coach should work with the client to develop an Action Plan or Next Steps. Although the feedback process centers on gaining awareness, sustained change cannot occur without deliberate, conscious effort. The coach should encourage the client to establish two to three meaningful development goals that are tied to the EQ-i 2.0. Each goal should be specific and outline steps the client will need to take to reach his or her development objectives.

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During the feedback preparation process it is important for you to consider your client’s profile in the context of other information you have about him or her (e.g., other assessment results, interviews, performance reviews). Combining this information can help you generate relevant and meaningful questions for the feedback session, ensuring the client receives an optimal experience.
You can adopt any one of a number of styles for delivering feedback. This choice will reflect your comfort with the assessment, knowledge of the client, the assessment’s results, and the goals and objectives of the feedback process. The EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 2.0 are compatible with a variety of coaching styles. The following examples are listed as possibilities for providing feedback and have been shown to be effective. For a more detailed explanation and for implementation strategies, please refer to Coaching Fundamentals.

1. The EQ-i 2.0 Model Approach. Perhaps the most straightforward approach to feedback, the EQ-i 2.0 Model Approach, follows the hierarchical model of the EQ-i 2.0 with discussions of the Total Score, followed by each composite scale, and then each of the subscales. Generally this approach is effective and, for the novice user, provides a simple and cohesive structure for feedback.
2. Client-Centered Approach: An effective alternative to the EQ-i 2.0 Model Approach is to focus on the client’s strengths. The client-centered approach is particularly effective in situations where unexpectedly low scores are reported. Emphasizing strengths can take the sting out of lower scores while helping to keep the client open to new ideas and possibilities. Establishing early successes may help create a level of comfort that promotes openness and allows the feedback process to progress to the areas with the greatest opportunity for the client’s development.
3. Narrative Approach. The Narrative Approach, while highly effective, requires an astute understanding of the EQ-i 2.0 and of the implications of the interconnectedness among subscales. It often helps to begin by asking the client to provide two or three relevant examples describing recent successes or difficulties, and to explain how those situations were handled. The role of the coach during this type of feedback is to draw explicit connections between the results of the EQ-i 2.0 and the experiences of the client. This approach can often feel unstructured; the onus rests on the consultant to connect each example back to the client’s results. Some, especially those high in Impulse Control and low in Flexibility, may not appreciate the organic nature of this approach.

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It is not only an ethical practice but also a best practice to provide your client with feedback on the EQ-i 2.0 or EQ 360 2.0. When using assessments, professionals who spent more time conducting feedback sessions were more likely to hear positive, collaborative dialogue from their clients (Smith et al., 2007). Additionally, positive gains in your client’s self-esteem are likely to result from providing him or her with feedback (Allen et al., 2003). To ensure that all clients are exposed to an ethical and effective feedback process, the following best practices are strongly recommended. While these guidelines address the phases of preparation and evaluation independently, success is best achieved when they are integrated.

Prior to Giving Feedback

1. TIMING: Delivering the EQ-i 2.0 or EQ 360 2.0 Report

The delivery of the EQ-i 2.0 or EQ 360 2.0 report to your client is a crucial first step in the feedback process and when timed correctly can impact the openness or responsiveness of your client during feedback. When presented with the opportunity to find out how well or poorly they have scored, many clients will quickly sift through their results and direct their attention to the most intriguing of outcomes: often their lowest scores. In the case of a 360 report, clients tend to skip their self results and jump right to what people said about them. Clients who are more self-aware will accept and even expect their results; however, for others this may present an immediate shock. Because we cannot accurately predict how clients will react, it is highly recommended that the coach disseminate a report no more than 24 hours prior to the scheduled feedback session and preferably 2 to 3 hours prior.

In most cases a 2 to 3 hour window should be sufficient to allow the client time to read through the report and begin to reflect on what the results might mean. However, should too much time pass, thoughts of ‘what might be’ become more formalized and concrete. The longer a client has to ruminate over his or her results, the more difficult it is for them to be open and receptive to new definitions or meanings of subscales, development ideas, and strategies.

The delivery of results to the client can occur in any number of ways. In most cases electronic delivery by e-mail is ideal; however, the coach must ensure delivery is from a secure location and to the correct e-mail address. Client anonymity and confidentiality is of the utmost importance, and therefore great care must be taken during the delivery process (APA Standard 5.13, 1999).

2. PREPARING FOR FEEDBACK

To help you prepare for a feedback session, you should attend to the following areas of the coach’s and client’s reports:

Coach Report

1. Identify if there are validity concerns that need to be addressed.
   • Inconsistency Index
   • Positive Impression
   • Negative Impression
   • Omitted items
2. Check the response style of the client.
   •  Did the client primarily select 3s or 1s and 5s?
3. Examine the scores for each subscale
   • Identify scores below 90 and above 110.
   • Look for a well balanced profile. Investigate
     • Peaks and valleys in scores (Balancing EI)
     • Consistently high scores
     • Consistently low scores

Client Report

1. Dig into Implications and Strategies for Action.
   • Emotional Implications
   • Social and Behavioral Implications
   • Strategies for Action
2. Take a closer look.
   • Self-Awareness
   • Self-Management
   • Emotion Management
   • Effective Relationships
   • Personal and Interpersonal Effectiveness

The model for applying the EQ-i 2.0 (Figure 9.1) provides a framework with which you can direct your efforts during the initial stages of the feedback process, increasing the probability of a meaningful exchange with your client. Beginning with Self-Awareness (Step 1), emphasis is placed on the perception of the self. That is, before one can begin to truly embrace well-being and optimal performance, one must possess an established sense of self. During the interpretation stage and feedback process, investigate the client’s frequency and intensity of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that reflect an awareness of inner feelings, an understanding of the source of these feelings, and a healthy respect of self. In the event a client appears to be lacking in these inner processes, coaching efforts can be directed here; otherwise, you can proceed to examining the progress of Step 2, Self-Management.

The goal of the Self-Management stage is to assess the coping skills of the client. Productivity and success are often defined by how well individuals perform under pressure, or their ability to manage and cope with daily demands. Without the proper skills in place, problem solving and the effective use of emotional information is difficult. Step 3, Emotional Management, addresses the components of the Decision Making Composite, which provide the foundation for processing and applying emotional information. The implication here is twofold. Although the effective application of emotional information—coupled with the ability to remain composed and objective—can positively impact decision-speed and accuracy, it may also provide a foundation on which relationships are formed. At the core of Effective Relationships (Step 4) are trust, compassion, empathy, and willingness to compromise. An individual who struggles to delay impulses, remain objective, and work through setbacks will have difficulty sustaining meaningful relationships.

A common asset among the successful, content, and happy is a meaningful social network characterized by effective relationships. Step 4, Effective Relationships, addresses the breadth and depth of one’s interpersonal connectedness. Should a client lack such relationships, or would simply benefit from extending that network, Step 4 provides a starting point.

Step 5, Personal and Interpersonal Effectiveness, is the culmination of the four preceding stages, but is most proximal to Effective Relationships. Simply put, the positive outcomes of social support like increased psychological adjustment, employing adaptive coping strategies, promoting resilience and contributing to physical health and survival, are invaluable (Taylor, 2011). However, this social support doesn’t flow from any relationship, but rather relationships built on a solid foundation of the elements underpinning Steps 1 through 4 (e.g., trust, compassion and empathy).

Although the model is presented in a linear format, it is possible that you will encounter clients who possess healthier skills in the latter steps than in the earlier steps. For example, your client may have well developed relationships and draws on these social resources to cope with stress, but he lacks self-awareness (Step 1). In this case, your client may benefit from self-awareness training to better leverage their internal feelings to cope with life’s daily demands. The model is not meant to be a panacea or golden rule for development, but is designed to present a pragmatic approach for considering the developmental processes that may provide a client with the greatest reward for his or her investment in developing EI skills.

During the Feedback Process

There are a number of critical elements to attend to when providing feedback. Generating comprehensive awareness can increase motivation and overall engagement, because people are more likely to actively participate in a process when they perceive it to be beneficial and personal (Bandura, 1977). Moreover, attention should be paid to creating positive expectations. This can be achieved by addressing the opportunity for enhancing Emotional Intelligence through various strategies. Since it is necessary that both the client's strengths and weaknesses be addressed during the feedback process, it is important to create an environment that the client perceives as comfortable and supportive. This can be achieved by developing a rapport grounded in an empathic and genuine relationship between you and the client. In such an environment, resistance and defensiveness can be overcome, thereby allowing for the client’s full engagement.

It is important that clients understand why the assessment process has been embarked upon and what they can expect throughout the feedback process (including session duration) and beyond. You should be clear about what will happen with the results of the assessment, as well as with your notes; assurance of confidentiality is vital. To ensure an optimal feedback experience the consultant should attempt to integrate the following steps.

1. Set the Stage
   • Introduce yourself.
   • Verify that the client understands the purpose of taking the EQ-i 2.0 or EQ 360 2.0.
   • Discuss what will happen with the results and your notes.
   • Outline what will happen during the feedback process and how long the feedback session will take.
   • Assure confidentiality.
2. Build Rapport
   • Asking specific questions may be useful for establishing rapport.
     • Did you have any trouble taking the EQ-i 2.0?
     • Do you have any questions?
     • Have you had a chance to look over your results/report? If not, allow some time for your client to review their report.
     • Is there anything that is particularly surprising about your results?
     • Are there any areas that you feel might be questionable? 
   • Address any burning questions first in order for the respondent to concentrate on the remainder of the feedback session.
3. Ensure Understanding
• Discuss what the report contains.
• Describe the EQ-i 2.0 Model of Emotional Intelligence. Ensure the client is comfortable with the following concepts:
• Total EI,
• The 5 composite areas,
• The 15 subscales,
• The Well-Being Indicator.
• Clarify what emotional intelligence is and what it is not.
• Address why and how emotional intelligence can enhance personal well-being, performance, and leadership success (if applicable).
• Address elevated PI, NI, or Inconsistency scores and response distribution. Explore motivation for answering in a given way.
• Explain the scores relative to the general population.
• Walk the client through the Profile Graph. Pay particular attention to reactions (e.g., comments and changes in body language).
• Drawing on preferred coaching style, work through client results.
• Draw connections to other subscales (e.g., high scores, low scores, opportunities, and subscales that help to balance or temper each other).
4. Address Results
   • If applicable, discuss the implication of scores above 110 or below 90.
   • Emphasize the importance of a balanced profile.
5. Action Plan
   • Establish 2 or 3 meaningful takeaways from the feedback process.
   • Define 1 or 2 meaningful and relevant goals for each takeaway.
   • Establish a timeframe and checkpoint for progress.
   • Identify how positive change will be rewarded.
   • Plan for setbacks and establish contingency plans.

EQ 360 2.0 Feedback

The EQ-i 2.0 feedback process can be invaluable; receiving 360 degree feedback can be a further enlightening and reassuring process. Nevertheless, in some cases the results may be surprising and even uncomfortable for your client.

The above-outlined best practices apply to both users of the EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 2.0. However, the EQ 360 2.0 user must be aware of several obstacles that may, if not sensitively attended to, interfere with an effective feedback process. The opportunity to compare self results against the results of raters is an effective way to gather otherwise unavailable information about your client. This can result in tremendous developmental gains, provided the consultant adheres to the above EQ-i 2.0 Best Practices and is sensitive to the fact that it is common for 360 recipients to be skeptical of results that don’t align with their self-evaluation. Consequently, the 360 coach should be aware of the following defense mechanisms commonly used by clients:

• Denial. The first response to an unfavorable result is denial. The participant may deny that the results are accurate or may assert that the information provided is not relevant to them or their job.
• Anger. If the participant can move beyond denial to accept that the data is valid, he or she may express anger towards his or her raters.
• Blame. Coupled with anger, the participant may attempt to blame the raters and/or other external factors for result perceived to be poor or unrepresentative of themselves. For example, it is not uncommon to place blame on the assessment, the organizational culture of his or her workplace, or the supervisor or HR professional who sponsored the assessment.
• Shame. Once the participant has had an opportunity to reflect on his or her results, feelings of shame often supersede blame. In fact, redirected anger can be a defense mechanism for embarrassment experienced in response to the results. This feeling is often amplified by the presence of a coach.
• Paralysis by Analysis. The EQ 360 2.0 is rich with information; unfortunately, if not managed effectively, that information can be overwhelming to the client. As is the case with the EQ-i 2.0, it is necessary for the coach to work with the client during a feedback session to address the most salient results. Managing this information can help prevent the client from getting lost in the information (i.e., paralysis by analysis). The client can then be directed to a more positive outcome.

The Development Process

By providing adequate time to process and understand the feedback, both the clarity of the concepts and the client’s comprehension of implications and recommendations can be enhanced. Allowing the opportunity for the client to ask questions and share relevant examples of their behavior is also important for facilitating engagement and understanding. It is recommended that clients be provided with direction regarding development priorities and strategies; in other words, it is important to address "what's next" with the client after reviewing assessment results. The following best practices will help the coach ensure client compliance while working through the stages of change.

1. READINESS FOR CHANGE

In order for effective change to occur the coach and client must be aligned in their willingness and commitment to make change. During the feedback process you should consider and probe the readiness of your client to embark on a given process. According to the Transtheoretical Model (Prochaska, DiClemente & Norcross, 1992), the further along the continuum of change one is, the more likely one will adhere to one’s plan and achieve meaningful change. As a general guide, you should consider where your client resides at the onset of the coaching relationship. Should the client not be ready for change, patience and guidance will be necessary to bring the client to a point of readiness. The stages of change that should be considered include the following:

• Pre-contemplation. When a client appears to reside in the pre-contemplation stage, change will be difficult; the client is unlikely to embrace the actions required for change in the foreseeable future. However, there are a number of reasons why one might reside in this stage, including previous pitfalls and not having access to relevant and compelling information. In either case, a compassionate and informative coach may help move a client beyond the pre-contemplation stage.
• Contemplation. In this stage a client is actively preparing for change and is aware of the pros and cons of change, but may be paralyzed by the consequences of the cons. That is, although the long-term benefits are enticing, the short-term pain deters action. Working with a client in this stage to set small, meaningful goals with little consequence but meaningful gain, can help them move beyond the contemplation stage.
• Preparation. The preparation stage is associated with action. A client who has taken a significant step towards meaningful change, such as initiating an EQ-i 2.0 feedback session, establishing a personal goal, or simply preparing for change, is in the preparation stage. These clients are ripe for change and when properly guided are likely to embrace it. Through effective coaching and support, you can help move the client from the preparation stage to the action stage.
• Action. The action stage encapsulates willingness to change and behavior modification, and is typically associated with sustained change of greater than six months. In this case, as in all effective feedback and coaching processes, follow-up must be incorporated into the program. When a client has embraced a change and continues to live it for more than 6 months, it is likely that a positive and enduring behavior modification has occurred. During the coaching and feedback session it may be helpful for you to probe and determine what successes the client has achieved in the past and what resources he or she has to support positive emotional change.

This Transtheoretical Model provides a simple yet practical framework by which you can assess the readiness of your client for meaningful change. Should the client not be completely ready, you are then equipped with a framework to help move the client from a stage of contemplation to one of action.

2. MANAGING EXPECTATIONS

It is crucial for you to manage not only your own expectations, but the expectations of your client. Creating positive expectations for the feedback and development process can be effective for instilling change, provided these expectations are coupled with rich and relevant examples of successes in emotional and social change. If the client can relate to examples of meaningful change that can be linked to increased well-being, job-satisfaction, or performance, he or she is likely to see a value proposition for engaging in EI training and development.

3. MAINTAINING INDEPENDENCE

In line with the stages of change outlined above, the coach must recognize that people are most likely to change when they feel free to do so. During the coaching phase of feedback, the coach should work toward fostering autonomy in the client by allowing him or her to set personally relevant and meaningful goals. Guidance should be provided to ensure that each goal is deemed personally relevant and that the client is committed to it.

In conclusion, this page addressed a number of best practices for providing meaningful and effective feedback. Of central importance is the ability of the coach or consultant to clearly establish his or her role in the feedback process, what that process will entail, and what is expected of the client post-feedback. It is the responsibility of the coach or consultant, in collaboration with the client, to establish purposeful feedback goals that can set the stage for an optimal development experience.

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