Feedback That Actually Helps Your Team Improve

We've talked about coaching and asking better questions. But there is another part that determines whether your team actually gets better over time...Feedback.

In a lot of organizations, feedback only happens when something goes wrong. Which means it happens after the fact and foused exclusively on fixing whatever just happened. That might solve the immediate issue, but it doesn't change what happens next. So the same problems keep happening and leaders start to feel like they are having the same conversations on repeat.

It's not that leaders don't care abvout giving feedback. Most of the time, they just aren't doing it consistently or early enough to make an impact. When feedback only happens after the fact, people aren't always clear on what "good" actually looks like. Small issues go unaddressed and over time, those gaps turn in to bigger performance issues.

Leaders who get the most out of their teams approach feedback differently. They don't wait until something breaks down. They use feedback as part of how they lead every day. They are clear and specific. The connect feedback to expectations. And they take a forward focus approach and talk about what to do next, not just what went wrong.

Important to note, they also take the time to recognize what is working well. Because when people understand what they are doing well, they are much more likely to repeat it.

If your team is repeating the same issues, it's probably an opportunity to provide effective feedback. People can't improve what isn't clear to them. And they can't build confidence if they're only hearing from you when something goes wrong.

Where to Start

This week, don't wait for something to go wrong. Pay attention to what is working. Recognize it in the moment. Be specific about why it matters and what you want to see more of. That is what helps people improve, and what builds capability over time.

Strong teams don't happen by accident. They happen when leaders are clear, consistent, and intentional with feedback.