How to give feedback to a worship team member – 5 Coaching Tips

So I’m about to send some feedback to a girl that I’m working with on her vocals.

She has not yet joined the team, but we’ve been sending video files back and forth

while she’s been sending me video files. And I was like, you know what?

I’m just going to record myself giving her feedback so that you can hear

how I give clear, kind, direct feedback to a potential worship team member

or even someone who’s already on my team.

And a huge part of what I teach in the academy and just in general is you should

establish the coaching relationship with your volunteers as early as possible.

So even before they come on the team, they should view you as the guide, as someone

to help them, as someone to coach them, as someone to develop their gifts.

That is what I’m doing with this girl.

That’s how I’ve positioned myself as someone to help her grow.

And I even texted her just now.

I said, You have a lot of natural talent.

We’ll need to just focus on honing a few things, but I think the Lord

can really use your gift.

We’ll work on it together. And that’s the key.

You can give really clear feedback to people when they know that you’re

for them and when and they know that you are there to help them

and that you’re working on it together.

So I’m going to actually record myself giving this young woman feedback

on her vocal videos that she sent to me.

And after I give the feedback, I’m going to point out a few tactics, logical

tactics that I’m using to help deliver the message more kindly and more clearly.

So let’s go. Hey, Giselle.

Thank you so much for sending all those videos.

It’s really cool to see you singing with Nina.

I love her so much, and it’s awesome that she’s coaching you.

So the The first thing that’s cool is that you’re already getting coached

by someone who can sing well.

So that shows me a lot about your character, that you’re someone who’s

like, I want to get better, and you’re going to find people who can help you.

So I love that coachable, teachable spirit that you have.

I love that you’re sending me every video that you have.

Even you’re like, It’s not very good, but here it is.

I love that you’re just humble and willing to learn and get input and get advice.

And I really want to help you grow.

I think God has given you a natural gift I really like your tone.

I really like the range of your voice.

I really like your taste when you do little flourishes

and when you’re doing little up and down wiggly things at the end of words.

I think you have good taste stylistically.

So I think there’s a lot of really good things, and

you have a really strong foundation.

I can tell you’re a bit green, meaning you’re young in your singing,

so you haven’t really dialled in your control yet.

And I think the best way to do that is to record yourself.

So the fact that you already are is going to really help.

I would encourage you to continue recording yourself as much

as possible, listening back.

And what I want you to listen for are the shorter notes.

You do good with your longer notes, but on your shorter notes,

you can tend to be a little bit flat because you’re rushing and you aren’t

exactly precise on those shorter notes.

On your longer notes, you’re fine, you’re on pitch, but it’s these short phrases or

short notes before your longer notes that you tend to go a little bit flat or just

dip a little bit right below the note.

And I also think a lot of that has to do with your breath control.

I don’t know for sure, but I have a sense that your breathing is shallow

and it’s in your upper chest.

And what you really want to be doing when you’re singing is singing from

your diaphragm, which is like your lower abdomen, your belly, like down, lower,

and you want to breathe down into it.

And I’m going to send you a video of a course that I have that you can listen to

this woman teaching you how to breathe.

So I’m going to send you that video after this.

But I think if you start to get better breath control and better breath

support, I think it’s going to really help you through those lower and shorter

notes to just always be on pitch.

And then the control thing just comes through time and reps and lots

and lots of repeating and listening back.

So I’m going to encourage you to practise your breath support and then also

to record yourself singing as many songs as you possibly can and listening back

and really paying attention to the things that you don’t like or the areas where

you sound maybe not 100% on pitch.

So again, you’re doing really well.

You have a lot of raw natural talent.

I think God’s really going to use you.

I want to get you involved, but I want to make sure that

I’m setting you up for success.

And so I don’t want to get you involved too quickly because I really want to make

sure that you succeed on stage.

And so I think joining the choir is going to be great if you can do that

because that’s going to help you hear those harmonies I think continuing

to sing with people better than you, like Nina, is going to be helpful.

I also think that pretty soon I could get you involved singing on the main stage

with some of our professional singers.

And those professional singers, I think, will help you elevate as well.

And I’m going to actually ask them to coach you during those little in

between service time slots, just give you tips, give you advice, and help you grow.

And I think if you keep that coachable spirit, you’re going to go really far

and you’re going to develop really fast.

And so I’m excited.

I’m excited to get you involved, and I’ll send you

the resources that we talked about. So hopefully this encourages you.

I want you to know that God has gifted you.

He’s called you, and now it’s time for you to just begin really

developing that skill and that craft that he’s put inside of you.

So I’m looking forward to partnering with you in that.

All right. God bless you, sis.

Thanks. Bye.

Okay, so I just gave her four minutes of feedback, and there are a few things

that I did that I think you should do as well when you’re giving people feedback.

Number one, Don’t write it down in text. Text is just bad.

Okay, text can be misinterpreted.

You can’t hear people’s tone.

You can’t hear people’s smile.

I think I smiled when I started this recording to her.

I would encourage you, if you’re delivering a message

that can be seen as unpleasant.

Always smile.

Help people to hear in the tone of your voice that you’re for them, that

you love them, that you’re not frowning.

So number one, use your voice. Don’t use text.

If you can, a video call is good because they can see your face.

Do it in person if you can.

Because she and I have been communicating a lot through the phone, I just

am continuing that channel.

But I use my voice so they can just hear the friendliness of my demeanour.

Okay, the second thing is I told her how great it is that she wants to grow.

So I planted this seed or this thought in her mind

that I am someone who wants to grow.

And so I’m just calling out what’s already there.

I’m like, hey, look at this proof that you’re somebody

who wants to improve and grow. You’re already doing this.

You’re already doing that.

I sense a very humble demeanour in you.

And so she’s like, yeah, I’m humble. That’s me.

I want to grow. I want to get better.

And therefore, because I put that in the back of their mind or just affirm

what is actually already there, she will be more receptive to the feedback

because she knows it’s good for her.

So then what I did is I started by complimenting her.

I really like your tone.

I really like your taste.

I really like your style.

And you have a lot of raw talent and potential.

So affirm the good before you give them the things that you want them to change.

And then you move into, and here are some areas I want you to work on.

And you have to be specific.

You’re a little bit flat on some of the shorter notes.

The longer notes are fine.

So again, I’m affirming, affirming.

But the shorter notes, you’re a little bit flat.

And sometimes If it’s a newbie, you want to define what flat means,

you’re a little bit under the notes.

And then also it seems like your breathing is too shallow, so you’re not

getting enough breath support.

Those two specific pieces of feedback.

And then I have some solutions for you.

So that’s the final step of giving feedback is, here’s

what I want you to do about it.

Because it’s no good to be like, here’s where you suck, good luck.

Okay, that’s no fun.

You want to say, here’s where you need to grow.

Here’s what I’m going to do to help you.

I’m going to send you this video.

I’m going to send you this course.

Whatever it is that you need to do to help them grow, now it’s on you as the coach

to give them the tools to implement.

So they have to take the responsibility to actually implement the tools

that you’re giving them, but your job is to resource them.

So now I’m going to send her that course that I told her about.

I’m going to get her involved in the choir, like I said.

I’m going to get her singing with the pros so that they can

give her feedback and coaching.

So give them feedback and then give them their next steps.

Okay, just to show you that people love when you give them clear, kind feedback,

here’s what she wrote back to me.

Wow, Thank you so much.

I really needed that, and I love your feedback.

I can definitely keep working at it, and I’ll be sure to work with Nina

to help me get to where I need to be.

This is so helpful because, yeah, I know exactly what you’re saying

and what I need to do to improve.

Believe, please send me those videos, and I will start practising and recording.

Hello. See, guys, this is it.

We are called to equip the Saints for Ministry.

People want someone who’s for them, who’s honest with them, who will shoot straight

with them, who will help them grow. That’s your job.

So hopefully this short video of me giving feedback to a team member

will help you not feel so scared to give feedback to your people.

You are the coach, you are the guide, you are to equip your saints for ministry.

So put on your big boy, big girl pants and say the hard thing with a smile.

You can be kind and clear at the same time.

You You don’t have to be mean. It’s actually loving to speak the truth.

Speaking the truth in love helps people grow.

And I actually have a free e-book that you can grab underneath this video

called How to Have Hard Conversations, and it’s completely free.

Just put your email in and I’ll send you that free e-book,

How to Have Hard Conversations.

It’s about 11 pages, and it’s packed full of practical advice.

So grab that below.

And if you want a lot more training resources, you can check out

the Worship Ministry Training Academy, where we’ve got 10 in-depth courses,

live monthly trainings, expert interviews, done for you, documents, templates

and resources, and a supportive community.

And you can try it for just $1 for 15 days of full access

by going to worshipministrytraining. Com.

That’s it.

Be sure to subscribe to this channel so you can get the next video

that should be releasing soon.

And I look forward to seeing you then. Thanks for letting me encourage you.

God bless.