So you think you can sing?

You must have watched, or had exposure to programs like X-Factor and American Idol right? Time after time we sit there mesmerised by these crazy individuals who think they have the best voices on the planet...regardless of how much they suck!!! Can they hear what we hear? No, I actually don’t think they can! I think they genuinely believe they rock!

So where am I going with this? (Although I could sit here and talk X-Factor/ Idol all day)...As Instructors, can we “sing?”...Do we think we rock? Or can we not see what other people see? When was the last time you went to another instructors class (that you heard from members was great!) and they were riding high on knowing the members love them etc...The result? They sucked!

Why do you think class members think it’s great? Yet we disagree?...because we are the “Simon Cowell” in this situation!

We know what we are looking for! The class member is hearing an instructor screaming at the top of his/her monotone lungs, “go go go sprint ‘til your eyes bleed...come on work harder...come on go...go..” and think this is what it’s supposed to be like- they don’t know any different!

We do...why? Because the chances are we ourselves have listened to feedback from other people who know what they are talking about too! So when we get the privilege of going to other instructors’ classes we expect to see; the cueing on time, the choreography nailed, the interaction high, correction recommendation and low options.

Do we “Cowell it up” in this instance? Telling the Instructor “that was the worst class I’ve ever had to witness”... no of course not we do any number of things, which are usually

1) Bitch, to every other fellow instructor we meet that day.

2) Smile, tell the instructor that it was amazing and offer your services to cover.

3) Leave at the end with a smug smile, offer no feedback, and vow never to return.

 Are any of the above actually going to help the instructor teach themselves to “sing” better? Nope, I’m glad you agree!

Can we help them move forward with carefully placed feedback? Sure we can!

Ok...This is where we need to tread a little carefully, let’s be fair there could be the sound of a broken ego heard for miles around if you get it wrong!

I’ve always found the best approach to be to offer feedback as if (even if you pretend) it’s been given to you by someone else. Maybe something like “I had Colin come to my class, you know the UK trainer...well he gave me some great feedback that I recon might help you go to the next level to.”

You see, if you approach it like you’re sharing a positive experience as a result of receiving feedback yourself then it can (but not always) take the emphasis off them but get your message across.

As instructors we should embrace feedback and apply it where necessary to our classes. Constant, never ending improvement keeps what we do fresh and professional...but we have to hear the words in the first place from other coaches and instructors, so become a master of receiving criticism graciously.

Finally, remember your mum will always say “yes honey of course you can sing” because she cares...it’s what “Simon says” that delivers the X-factor.