A feedback junkie

This morning was day 699 of my mile-a-day escapade.

Only just over 38 more years to catch up with my retired U.S. dentist friend.

That would make me 94 years old. Now there's a sobering thought.

Yesterday I was delivering another Be the Best You Can Be! teacher development session, this time to 22 primary school teachers in Essex.

Delivering these sort of sessions is always a great opportunity for me to step back afterwards and reflect on how I did in achieving the purpose of the overall session.

It was doubly useful yesterday because I had a fellow coach observing, who will be delivering her first teacher development session soon. She is also a very experienced coach.

Now, I don't know about you but I've turned into a real feedback junkie.

I know that I can always up my game and take it to another level, no matter whether I feel I did a great or not-so-great job.

We all have blind spots where we just can't see things that are obvious to the external perspective of an observer.

And you always have a choice when receiving feedback.

Think of it as a gift.

It could be just the thing you were hoping for.

It could be the gift that you're not too sure what to do with, but in time you realise it's quite useful.

It could be the present from your grandmother that you know you're never going to use, so you donate it to your nearest charity shop.

Whichever type of gift it is, the process of considering which type is always a useful exercise.