--- title: Coaching, Work, and the Open Workspace description: Here are 5 recommendations for more effective coaching dialogues in an open workspace. image: https://www.advantexe.com/hubfs/coaching-open-workspace-2.jpg --- [![logo-advantexe-150.png](https://www.advantexe.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logo-advantexe-150.png?width=150&height=123&name=logo-advantexe-150.png "logo-advantexe-150.png")](https://www.advantexe.com) ![blog-banner-2022](https://www.advantexe.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-banner-2022.png?width=973&name=blog-banner-2022.png "blog-banner-2022") ### The Advantexe Advisor Blog - providing a deep and applicable understanding of the system of business. # Coaching, Work, and the Open Workspace By Robert Brodo | Aug 31, 2018 7:56:40 AM | [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.advantexe.com%2Fblog%2Fcoaching-in-the-open-workspace%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on LinkedIn](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/linkedin-24x24.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.advantexe.com%2Fblog%2Fcoaching-in-the-open-workspace%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.advantexe.com%2Fblog%2Fcoaching-in-the-open-workspace%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.advantexe.com%2Fblog%2Fcoaching-in-the-open-workspace%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Coaching%2C%20Work%2C%20and%20the%20Open%20Workspace) [![Share on Pinterest](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/pinterest-24x24.png)](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.advantexe.com%2Fblog%2Fcoaching-in-the-open-workspace%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dpinterest&media=) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.advantexe.com%2Fblog%2Fcoaching-in-the-open-workspace%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.advantexe.com%2Fblog%2Fcoaching-in-the-open-workspace%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) We all get it now.  The entry ticket to the party of hiring today’s workforce must include open ![coaching-open-workspace-2](https://www.advantexe.com/hs-fs/hubfs/coaching-open-workspace-2.jpg?width=400&name=coaching-open-workspace-2.jpg)workspaces, meeting cabanas, unlimited coffee and Mountain Dew, Fiesta Friday’s and Pizza Wednesdays, unlimited salty and sweet snacks, bean bags, napping pods, the obligatory fooseball table, and the video game Fortnite running from morning to night.  In this competitive labor market, most potential employers know that these are the new tools of recruitment and talent retention. During the kickoff of a recent one-day [leadership development program](https://www.advantexe.com/business-leadership-development-programs) for new managers that focused on coaching, the Chief Human Resources Officer who asked me to customize our coaching simulation to her company’s competency and values model kicked off the session with an interesting comment; “As new managers, you are faced with new challenges and new opportunities not faced by managers of yesterday.   As you know, we have a beautiful and open office environment that has been designed for optimal efficiency.  Except that it’s hard to give in-the-moment-feedback in the open space.”  She then shared that her perspective that if and when a new manager wanted to “coach-up” their team members they should do it in one of the several private conference rooms. She also shared that if the conference rooms were not available, the manager and the employee should go “offsite.” One of the participants immediately and boldly spoke up and challenged the CHRO by saying that he didn’t think that was a good idea because every time he goes into a conference room for a private coaching conversation, the entire open floor knows that “someone is in trouble” and it becomes an entire drama that wastes more time than it’s worth. This manager, and several others who spoke up during the session, shared that they have basically stopped giving feedback and have accepted the fact that the quality of work will not be as good. I was shocked by the turn of the conversation and I thought I saw all of the blood drain from the CHRO’s face as she heard this.  As a result of this dramatic change of discussion, the rest of the session focused on a deep dialogue about [coaching](https://www.advantexe.com/blog/do-your-managers-and-leaders-have-effective-coaching-skills), work, and the open workspace. After the session, I summarized my notes and am happy to share the 5 solutions that were discussed and are being implemented within the organization I am working with. **Create a culture of feedforward not feedback so it’s viewed as a positive thing** The first and most important learning was about creating a positive culture of giving feedforward and also recognizing great performance as much or if not more than poor performance.  If giving feedback is viewed as being negative, then people will resist it.  If it’s positive, they will embrace it.  It may be difficult at first, but try to make the process a very positive experience focused on moving forward with adjustments for success.  This particular client and others I work with use the [GROW model ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GROW_model)and it is very effective in terms of creating a positive vibe about feedback. **Stop giving feedback in conference rooms and have them quietly and diplomatically in the open workspace** I was surprised by the second learning.  A strong majority of the new managers wanted to make sure that in a positive culture of feedback they could and should give it in the moment and in the open.  By providing coaching and feedforward this way, the conversation will be much more positive and coaching oriented.  They also added that if you are recognizing great performance, the positive vibe is increased exponentially. **If done well, don’t be afraid to let others hear the feedforward** The next learning was even more interesting and surprising.  One of the new managers shared that he actually provides in-the-moment feedback to individuals so everyone else can hear and understand how to be more effective.  He shared that his team was very upset at first, but soon realized that when done in the open environment, the message was delivered more about patterns – both positive and negative - and less around individual bad behaviors that make people uncomfortable and potentially emotional in the feedback dialogue. **If someone requires more than 3 conversations in a week, then take it off-site and solve it** Another manager shared that she has a rule that if someone on her team requires an in-the-moment feedback dialogue 3 or more times in a week, then it’s time for an off-site session to have a deeper conversation to diagnose the reason for so many issues.  **Memorialize it and document it so it’s clear** The final learning is applicable to all feedback dialogues; document it and share it.  Either through a performance management system, a simple email, or a written document it is critical to memorialize the conversation and list the actions the person receiving the feedback is going to take to improve performance.  [![why-does-leadership-matter-infographic](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1153922/cbfef0cf-e318-4874-9de0-2e7fe97a1463.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1153922/cbfef0cf-e318-4874-9de0-2e7fe97a1463) ![Robert Brodo](https://www.advantexe.com/hubfs/Blogs/rob-brodo-author.png) **About The Author** Robert Brodo is co-founder of Advantexe. He has more than 20 years of training and business simulation experience. [**](https://www.advantexe.com) [**](https://twitter.com/robrodo) [**](https://www.linkedin.com/pub/rob-brodo/0/334/574) COMMENTS ### SUBSCRIBE VIA EMAIL ### About Advantexe Advantexe is a gold medal winning training and performance improvement organization specializing in the development and delivery of interactive learning journeys using computer-based business simulations as the catalyst for learning and change in the areas of: Business Acumen, Business Leadership, and Strategic Business Selling learning solutions. 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