What differentiates good leaders from great ones? I’m strongly of the view that one factor is the ability to give feedback that improves performance, strengthens relationships, and shapes culture.
Feedback is not a task. It’s a leadership behaviour. The higher you rise, the more your words carry weight, and the more intentional you must be about how you use them:
- People are more sensitive to your words; a single comment can shift priorities or morale.
- Your time is limited; conversations risk becoming transactional.
- Teams may hesitate to challenge you; creating blind spots you can’t afford.
- Your feedback shapes culture; not just performance.
The paradox is clear: the more influence you have, the more carefully you must wield it. Feedback is your lever to unlock potential. Great leaders don’t use feedback to point out what’s wrong; they use it to shine a light on what’s possible. This requires a mindset shift from telling to coaching; from fixing to developing; from judging to partnering; and from annual conversations to continuous dialogue.
Senior leaders who excel at feedback tend to do certain things consistently:
- They prepare. Not scripts, clarity. What outcome do you want? What behaviour matters most?
- They focus on impact, not intention. “Here’s how this landed” is more actionable than “Here’s what you did wrong.”
- They balance candour with care. Directness without empathy is harsh; empathy without directness is vague.
- They make feedback two‑way. They ask, “How did you see it?” or “What support would help?”
- They follow up. Feedback without follow‑through is noise.
With that in mind, take time to think:
- When was the last time you gave feedback that genuinely helped someone grow?
- Do people feel safe giving you feedback, or do they filter it?
- Are you clear about what you want people to improve, and why it matters?
- What feedback habit of yours most shapes the culture around you?
- If your team mirrored your approach to feedback, would you be proud of the culture it creates?
As leaders, we can show our people that we are role modelling the changes that all of us want to see. Let’s be better and be the change – contact [email protected] if you would like help to do so.
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