Good coaching feedback is an observation offered to the client without attachment and followed by an invitation to respond. It is not a verdict and not advice. ICF builds this into its Core Competencies and its PCC skill standard, and the same word, feedback, also describes what coaches receive in mentor coaching. Below is how both directions work.
What does ICF mean by feedback in a session?
ICF's 2025 Core Competencies put it under Competency 7, Evokes Awareness. Sub-competency 7.11 says the coach "shares observations, knowledge, and feelings, without attachment, that have the potential to create new insights for the client." Two neighbours matter: 7.05, which invites the client to share more about their experience in the moment, and 7.06, which notices what is working to enhance progress. So feedback in coaching is not limited to correcting; noticing what works counts as much as noticing what is stuck.
The phrase "without attachment" is the key. You offer what you see, hear, feel or sense, and you do not need the client to agree or act on it. If you would be disappointed by a "no", it is advice dressed as an observation.
What does PCC-level feedback sound like?
ICF's PCC Minimum Skills Requirements describe it as the coach sharing "observations, intuitions, comments, thoughts or feelings" with no attachment and inviting the client's exploration through a verbal or tonal invitation. Another line says the coach offers what they see, hear, feel or sense and accepts the client's response.
In practice there are three parts: observe, name it plainly, hand it back.
- "I notice you've said 'should' four times in the last few minutes. What do you make of that?"
- "Your voice slowed when you mentioned your sister. Is that connected to this, or not?"
- "You've been listing options for a while, and I haven't heard which one you want. What happens when you say that out loud?"
Each uses the client's own material, states one thing, and ends in a question the client can answer in any direction. Pair these with strong questions from powerful coaching questions.
What goes wrong?
The PCC standards name the failure modes. A coach shares perceptions without letting the client respond freely, including disagree; or gives definitive observations without checking in; or stays focused on showing how much they know. Leading questions toward the coach's own perspective and wordy, complex speech are also marked as inconsistent with PCC.
Three habits to watch:
- The verdict. "You're avoiding this." Say "I notice we keep moving away from this. What do you notice?"
- The stack. Observation, interpretation and two questions in one breath. One observation, then stop.
- The rescue. If the client is quiet after your observation, resist filling the silence. ICF lists comfort with "not knowing" and space for silence, pause or reflection under Maintains Presence.
How do coaches receive feedback?
ICF defines a mentor coach as an experienced coach who gives feedback to another coach based on observed or recorded sessions, to develop their style and skills in line with the Core Competencies. A credential needs 10 hours of it over at least three months, of which at least 3 hours are one-on-one. Details are in the mentor coaching requirements.
The performance evaluation adds a second source: each recording is reviewed by a trained assessor holding a PCC or MCC, and besides the result you receive the assessor's feedback. The skill is the same one you use with clients, turned inward: take the observation, check it against the recording, and decide what it means for you.
How do you ask a client for feedback on the coaching itself?
ICF's standards focus on how you share observations, but the same invitation works in reverse. Mid-engagement, ask something open and specific: "What in our work has been most useful so far? What would you want more or less of?" Ask it near the end of a session, when the client has just experienced the coaching, and write down their words rather than a score. Treat it like any other observation: receive it without defending, ask one follow-up, and let it shape the next session. Clients who see you take feedback well are more likely to give you honest answers about their own progress too.
How can you practise it?
Pick one habit: one observation per session, always followed by an invitation. Then check it afterwards from the transcript: did the client answer in their own words, or did they simply agree? The self-assessment routine shows how to do that in 30 minutes, and Coala can flag where observations appeared and whether the client had room to respond.