Unlocking the Value of Regular Feedback

Strong employee engagement and productivity are often found in organizations that cultivate a culture of regular feedback. While this may seem fundamental, many organizations neglect to make feedback a consistent practice. They fail to establish processes or structures for feedback, hindering the development of a feedback-driven culture.

To prevent this, the initiative must begin with senior leadership. The leadership team should model the practice of giving and receiving feedback, hold their direct reports accountable for doing the same, and ensure the practice extends throughout the organization.

The following steps can help your organization and its leaders embed feedback into your culture:

1. Normalize Feedback as a Daily Practice

• Make it routine: Integrate feedback into regular workflows (e.g., project debriefs, weekly one-on-ones, team post mortems).

• Not just for problems: Encourage both positive reinforcement and constructive input.

• Treat feedback as part of performance, growth, and collaboration—not just correction.

2. Lead by Example

• Leaders and managers should:

  • Actively ask for feedback (e.g., “What could I have done better in that meeting?”)

  • Receive feedback graciously—no defensiveness or dismissiveness.

  • Publicly act on feedback when appropriate (e.g., “Based on your input, I’m adjusting our process”).

3. Train Everyone on Giving and Receiving Feedback

• Offer training in:

  • Giving feedback: Make it specific, behavior-based, and forward-looking (e.g., “When X happened, it impacted Y; next time I suggest Z”).

  • Receiving feedback: Focus on listening, clarifying, and reflecting—not immediately reacting or explaining.

4. Foster Psychological Safety

• People give honest feedback when they feel safe. To build that:

  • Create non-punitive environments—mistakes and dissenting views are seen as opportunities, not threats.

  • Recognize and reward vulnerability (e.g., team members who offer difficult but respectful feedback).

  • Encourage empathy in responses—people give more when they feel heard, not judged.

Psychological safety is one of the most important elements to creating a culture of open feedback. When employees don’t feel safe,they are less likely to receive the feedback openly and rather view it as a personal upfront. When trust is established employees will feel like the feedback is given in the interest of helping them grow and develop, and that their leader is aligned with them and wants them to be successful. Conflict can be productively addressed when there’s a foundation of safety and trust as discussed in depth by Patrick Lincioni in his book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.

5. Embed Feedback into Values and Processes

• Make feedback part of the company values or guiding principles.

• Include it in:

  • Performance reviews

  • Leadership development programs

  • Onboarding (teach feedback culture from Day 1)

6. Celebrate and Share Feedback Wins

• Publicly highlight examples of how feedback led to positive change.

• Celebrate when someone gives constructive input or when a team acts on it effectively.

• Show that feedback drives progress, not just evaluation.

7. Use the Right Tools and Channels

• Provide formal and informal channels:

  • Anonymous suggestion tools

  • Slack feedback bots

  • Town halls or feedback-focused meetings

• Offer timely feedback loops—don’t wait months to respond to input.

8. Be Consistent and Patient

• Culture change doesn’t happen overnight.

• Reinforce the message constantly across communication, training, and leadership behaviors.

• Address resistance and setbacks openly and keep improving.

How do you feel your organization is doing at aligning to these best practices? What can you do as a leader to not only build these into your personal leadership practices, but to also help create a leadership culture in your organization? Reach out to Blue Birch Consulting to learn more about how we can support creating a feedback culture.