Several years ago, I ran a large-scale study where we surveyed 1,000 managers and 1,000 employees about their experience at work.
Feedback was the single biggest disconnect between the two groups
Managers were certain they were giving it, but their people said otherwise.
My hypothesis was that managers were technically giving the feedback, but it just wasn’t landing: softening the language, saying the thing once, in one place, and assuming it stuck.
The irony is Gallup found employees who regularly receive valuable feedback are 5x more likely to be engaged in their work, 57% less likely to be burned out, and 48% less likely to look for another job.
If you lead a people team, here's a framework to hand to managers to help feedback land and strengthen the feedback-giving muscle:
Come alongside before you get specific. Start from their success: "I've been thinking about how to help you in this role, can I share something?" Then narrow to the one thing that matters most.
After you say it out loud, then put it in writing. Deliver the feedback face-to-face, then follow up with a Slack, Teams message or email naming the one thing you're working on together. Now it can't be missed, and they can tell you if you read the situation wrong.
Be more direct than feels comfortable. The softer you make it, the less likely it lands. Say the real thing, plainly. That clarity is a form of respect.
Give it close to the moment, but never while you're frustrated. The best feedback is timely. The worst is delivered hot. If you're worked up, wait until you're steady and grounded, then have the conversation.
Catch what's going right, too. Keep a note on your phone. Every time someone does something you want to see more of, write it down. On Friday, send each of them a word about it. Telling people exactly what "great" looks like is the half of feedback most leaders skip.
The leaders whose feedback consistently sticks all share one trait: they're nearly impossible to misunderstand. And the orgs where feedback is consistently given see higher engagement and less turnover.
How are you coaching managers in your org to deliver feedback that sticks?