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What is double-loop reflection and how can it improve my coaching sessions?

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What is double-loop reflection and how can it improve my coaching sessions?

FA county coach developer, Steve Dorey, explores the importance of understanding both the what and the why during the reflective process.

Whilst studying professor Donald Schön’s work on reflective practice, I discovered double-loop reflection. This concept resonated both with my previous reflective practice and where I wanted to take it. I was being asked to move beyond simply what happened, towards a line of enquiry of why did it happen?

Double-loop reflection asks you to look beneath the surface of your actions in order to understand their underlying reasons, motives and assumptions. Returning to my last blog and the example regarding a no blame culture, this stems from my experiences as a (very amateur) player.

I hated it when teammates used to get on at each other for making mistakes. This had a strong effect when aimed at me personally. I always tried my best but once people were having a go at me, I might as well have not been on the pitch anymore. I simply shrank away.

As a result, I was keen to try and avoid this happening when I was coaching a team. I would never have realised this without reflecting though. Discouraging players from doing it was something I just did. I didn’t really understand why.

Understanding why you coach the way you do

In my early years as a coach, I always saved a match for the end of training. This was often a reward for the players, which was dependent on their completion of preceding tasks. Why did I do that? When I was a player, all I wanted to do was play a match - which was also what most of the players I worked with wanted as well – what was I thinking?

Turns out I wasn’t really. I was just copying what I’d both experienced in my playing days but also what I’d seen other coaches do. These coaches were my role models: they were experienced, qualified and inspirational. Of course, I’d do what they did.

But I was doing it blindly, without considering what the players wanted or what my understanding of ‘good coaching’ was. Of course, it’s only now looking back that I realise this. Maybe those early years could have been a bit more enjoyable if I’d questioned why I was doing what I was doing.

Use the findings from your reflection to inform planning

Reflecting helped me gain valuable insight into why I was coaching the way I was and the reasons behind my thoughts and action. Once I’ve reflected, I can now operationalise my findings in the planning and delivering of my next session. After that: we’re going around again.

Having introduced this concept on formal coach education courses in recent years, this has resonated with coaches as there starts to be reasons behind why they coach the way they do. Coaches’ reflections are frequently more impactful when using a double-loop process and it presents a great opportunity to try and align behaviours with intentions the next time they’re coaching.

Top-tips for using double-loop reflection

If you’d like to use ‘double-loop’ reflection after your next session, here are some questions which might help you get started:

  • Behaviour management: why did I react to a player’s behaviour in that way? What could that mean about the things I really value. Why do all players have to be quiet when the coach is talking?
  • Coach behaviour: why did I behave in that way? Why did I give out lots of instructions? Who have I seen coach like this before? What might that suggest about my understanding of how players learn?
  • Practice design: why did I design the session in that way? What was I hoping to achieve? How have my own previous experiences influenced my thinking?
  • Team selection: why did I leave out certain players for this match? How do I balance the desire to win and the desire to ensure all the players have an equal opportunity to play? Why is the balance that way?

If you haven’t done so already, you can read my previous blog posts here:

If you're looking for more articles on reflection, take a look at these on The Boot Room:

References

Alexander, G. (2006). Behavioural coaching–the GROW model. Excellence in coaching: The industry guide, 61-72.

Argyris, C. & Schön, D. (1974) Theory in practice: Increasing professional effectiveness. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books.