It can be a tricky thing to get right, but with these tips from an expert you can improve your feedback and achieve better outcomes.
Giving effective feedback is one of the toughest parts of leadership, but without clear, constructive communication, teams can’t perform at their best.
Annette Andrews knows this better than most. A former Chief People Officer, and now Founder and Director of Acaria Coaching & Consulting, she has spent her career helping leaders across a wide range of industries to develop their people and build stronger, more resilient organisations. She is also a qualified Executive and Life Coach, bringing both practical and personal insight into the challenges of managing performance.
Here, she brings her expertise to the fore to explain how even simple daily interactions can help you form a robust and consistent approach to feedback.
Some managers avoid feedback because they fear difficult conversations, but if you embed it into everyday interactions, those conversations become less daunting. And like anything, practice makes perfect. The more you engage with your team in constructive, balanced, and regular discussions, the more your club, and your people, will thrive.
Why feedback matters
Feedback is one of the most important ways to optimise the performance of any business or organisation. It ensures you get the best out of your people.
Even your star performers need it. Everyone benefits from knowing how they’re doing, and even diamonds can be polished a little more. And beyond the performance benefits, there are legal and governance reasons to give feedback consistently and equitably.
Treating staff fairly is vital, but fairness doesn’t mean treating everyone identically. The principles should be the same, but the messaging and delivery need to adapt to the individual and their needs.
Make it ongoing, not once a year
One of the biggest mistakes managers make is saving feedback for the annual review. If new issues are raised at that point, it will feel like an ambush. Nobody should walk into a performance discussion and be surprised by what they hear.
The best approach is to see every interaction as a coaching opportunity. Think of it like fine-tuning a swing. Small adjustments, made regularly, help someone improve over time. This might be a quick word after a shift, a positive comment when you spot good customer service, or a gentle steer if you see something that could be done differently. By the time you sit down for a formal review, both parties should already know what the discussion will cover.
Balancing positive and constructive feedback
Managers often find it easier to share positives than negatives – or worse, they fall into the trap of only delivering criticism. That’s not fair, and it’s not motivating.
A simple structure is to start with what’s going well, and then use the language of ‘what I need more of’ and ‘what I need less of’. This avoids labelling feedback as criticism and keeps it future-focused. Don’t overload people with a long list – stick to the game-changers, the two or three things that will make the biggest difference.
Providing practical direction
Constructive feedback only works if it’s clear and actionable. ‘You need to improve your communication,’ isn’t enough. Instead, consider something like, ‘When dealing with members, I need you to be more proactive in providing important information’, and back that up with an example.
Show them what ‘good’ looks like. That might mean shadowing another staff member, providing a template, or pointing out a live example and saying, ‘That’s exactly what I’d like to see more of’. If something goes wrong, address it privately and link it back to earlier discussions. And always follow up. Telling someone to change and then never revisiting the issue isn’t feedback, it’s neglect.
Encouraging employee input
Feedback should be a two-way process, but opening with, ‘How do you think you’re doing?’ can feel intimidating or even like a trap. A better approach is to ask people to reflect on what’s gone well, where they think they could improve, and what they need more or less of from you as their manager.
This creates a constructive conversation rather than a cold, procedural exercise. It also shows that you’re listening and willing to adapt your own leadership style to help them succeed.
Three rules to remember on feedback
- Make it ongoing. Feedback should be part of the day-to-day, not saved for the annual review.
- Take a coaching style. Focus on development and fine-tuning, not blame.
- Keep it balanced. Recognise successes as well as addressing areas for improvement.
