Coach K on Giving Feedback: 5 Tips

College Basketball Hall of Fame and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame inductee Mike Krzyzewski, known as Coach K, led the Blue Devils at Duke University to five national titles. A point guard in the United States Military Academy from 1966–1969, Coach K was head coach of the men’s basketball team at Duke from 1980–2022. Coach K has also led Olympic basketball teams to gold medal wins: for the first time in 2008, then in 2012 and 2016. In 2011, after a victory over Michigan State at Madison Square Garden, Coach K became the coach with the most wins in NCAA Division I men's basketball history.

Constructive feedback delivered correctly can lead to positive change in a person’s performance or specific behavior. A productive feedback session is a great way to analyze and correct past mistakes and boost the employee’s performance in the future. When leaders deliver positive feedback and constructive criticism effectively, they can boost the morale and operational success of your entire company or unit. However, if a feedback giver poorly communicates the message, it can have the opposite effect, causing your employees to become disaffected or feel alienated.

Useful feedback is a vital part of professional development for veterans and new managers. Performance reviews can set direct reports up for success. Here, Coach K shares his pointers that illustrate how regular feedback sessions improve the worker, supervisor, and user experience:

1. 1. Begin with a compliment. You don’t have to organize a formal check-in to give positive feedback freely. “It can be impromptu, like you’re walking by and say, ‘I noticed on the last report your input was unbelievable. It was really good,’” Coach K says. “Adding something personal when giving something to the business is huge. A person still wants to be thought of as a person,” and not just a team member accomplishing tasks.
2. 2. Ease into the conversation. When giving constructive feedback, make the recipient feel comfortable. Sometimes, inviting someone to your office and closing the door can immediately make them uneasy. Read body language, change your tone of voice, and show you care when giving important feedback. “I try to find a spot, not in my office, but someplace where that player will not feel pressure,” Coach K says.
3. 3. Give feedback in real time. “Feedback doesn’t have to wait until the next review cycle,” Coach K says. “If you see something happening, address it.” Be sure to give specific examples and speak face-to-face so you can have an open conversation.
4. 4. Have another person deliver the feedback. “Sometimes feedback is best received by a different voice. For me, that might be an assistant coach, but for you, it might be your team’s top performer,” Coach K shares. You must trust the other voice to deliver good feedback and negative feedback effectively.
5. 5. Lead with respect. Showing respect for your teammates or fellow employees is the best type of feedback you can give. “After a game, I don’t make it a point to give recognition to the star, but I do give recognition to the people who help the star become the star,” Coach K says. “Acknowledging your teammates as people and letting them know you care about their well-being outside of work is one of the greatest ways you can show someone respect.”

When you lead a team, what you say isn’t necessarily as important as how you say it. Discover Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski’s secret to reading people, giving feedback, and building leaders when you sign up for the MasterClass Annual Membership.