Training Feedback That Influences Organizational Growth

When Good Training Fails: A Neuroscience Wake-Up Call I will never forget walking into that tech company’s sleek office. Awards lined the lobby, the energy was palpable. Their HR director welcomed me with a familiar mix of enthusiasm and frustration. "We have done everything," she said. "Leadership programmes, feedback training, even brought in the high-profile consultants. Our managers nod along, take notes… and then nothing changes." I smiled. I had heard this before. This was not a training issue. It was a brilliant team stuck in the oldest trap in organisational development: assuming that knowing better automatically leads to doing better. When I spoke with their team leaders, the real story emerged: - I know I should give more feedback, but by Thursday, I am drowning - It feels awkward to bring it up. - I tried, but it felt forced. Then one engineering lead said something I will never forget: "You are teaching us to swim, then dropping us back in the desert and wondering why we are not practising." This was not about willpower. The environment was not designed to support the behaviour. So we changed that. +  We embedded 7-minute "connection checkpoints" into Monday meetings. + Placed simple "feedback cards" on desks. + Blocked out sacred time in calendars labelled "Team Investment Time". + Created peer accountability with one powerful weekly question: + "What conversation did you have that made someone stronger?" Months later, I received a video of a wall filled with anonymous notes of meaningful feedback. 😊 One note simply read: "For the first time, I feel seen here." 💙 Behaviour change is not about what we teach. It is about what people return to. Our brains need environments that make the right behaviours the easy ones. 🧠 So I will leave you with this: What behaviour are you trying to change in your organisation? And what have you done to redesign the environment to support it? Start with what matters. Use neuroscience to uncover the barriers. Then reimagine and reinforce the environment around the behaviour. Because we cannot expect people to change if everything around them stays the same. 💡

Your brain can't process praise and criticism simultaneously. That's why traditional feedback methods are harmful. But there's ONE discovery that creates growth, not resistance: Direct. Then Connect. Neuroscience shows our brains process praise and criticism through completely different neural pathways. That's why the "feedback sandwich" fails so spectacularly. When we buffer criticism with praise... The brain cannot process these mixed signals effectively. People see through it anyway. Studies show 74% of professionals detect sandwich feedback within seconds. Having directly managed 300+ people and coached over 100 founders on leadership and culture, I’ve seen the real impact of feedback. Here’s what works... Two simple steps: 1. DIRECT: First, get permission and deliver unfiltered feedback. "May I share some observations about your presentation?" Then state exactly what needs improvement. This activates voluntary participation, and increases receptivity greatly. 2. CONNECT: Then, separately reaffirm their value "Your contributions remain vital to our success." The key? Complete separation between these steps. Direct feedback gives a clean signal about what needs to change. Connection maintains psychological safety. They know their status isn't threatened. Getting permission isn’t a minor detail - it’s crucial. It fosters respect and trust before you give tough feedback. Setting the stage for it to land well. The neuroscience behind this is clear: A Gallup study shows regular feedback mechanisms result in 14.9% increase in employee engagement and a 21% increase in profitability. Companies implementing this see remarkable results: • Cisco saw 54% faster resolution of team conflicts • Adobe reported 30% reduction in employee turnover • Pixar found 22% higher willingness to challenge assumptions • Microsoft under Nadella accelerated deployment cycles by 31% The traditional sandwich approach can feel safer, but it creates distrust. Direct Then Connect can feel scarier, but it builds psychological safety. Humans are wired to prioritize belonging above almost everything. When feedback threatens our status, our brains go into protection mode. When feedback becomes clear and non-threatening, learning accelerates. Implementing this approach requires courage. You have to trust your relationship is strong enough to handle direct feedback. But that's the paradox: By being more direct, you actually build stronger relationships. Try it with your team this week. You might feel uncomfortable at first, but watch what happens to your culture. When feedback becomes clear and non-threatening, learning accelerates. And companies that learn faster win. - If you liked this post? Follow us for more insights on conscious leadership and building companies from the inside out. Proud to coach with Inside-Out Leadership: executive coaching by trained coaches who have founded, funded, scaled, & sold their own companies.

COIN: A Simple Yet Powerful Model for Effective Feedback Clear, constructive conversations are the foundation of a thriving workplace. As HR professionals, we know that how we deliver feedback can make all the difference; whether coaching employees, facilitating performance discussions, or navigating tough conversations. That’s why I love the COIN model: a structured yet flexible approach that turns feedback into a growth opportunity rather than a point of tension. → C - Connect, Give Context: Set the stage. What happened? What’s the background? Acknowledging lived experiences, values, and needs creates a shared understanding. → O - Observations: Stick to specific, objective observations. What do you see? What are your thoughts and beliefs? Encouraging open dialogue builds trust and alignment. → I - Impact on Self/Others/Situation: Explore the effects of the situation. How has it influenced you, the team, or the organization? Identifying gaps, concerns, or emotions adds depth to the conversation. → N - Next Steps: Turn insights into action. What’s the desired outcome? Explore solutions, set expectations, and create agreements for moving forward. I’ve seen firsthand how COIN transforms feedback from something people dread into a tool for growth and collaboration. When feedback is structured and intentional, it becomes a catalyst for real change. HR leaders, managers, and professionals: how do you approach feedback? Have you used the COIN model before? Let’s discuss! 👇 #HR #Leadership #Feedback #GrowthMindset #WorkplaceCulture #COINModel #HRBestPractices

As leaders, we talk often about continuous improvement, but we rarely acknowledge one of the hardest parts of that journey: getting feedback that is both honest and truly useful. My selected article highlights this tension perfectly. One line in particular stayed with me: “My last performance review was really positive. My boss told me I’m doing a great job and I should just continue to do what I’m doing.” That sentiment is familiar — and yet it highlights a real vulnerability. Affirmation alone doesn’t help leaders evolve, navigate complexity, or meet the moment in front of them. Growth requires clarity. In healthcare, the consequences of leadership blind spots are not abstract. They show up in culture, operational decisions, safety, and ultimately patient outcomes. Effective leadership depends on creating an environment where feedback becomes a strategic asset, not a once-a-year ritual. My goal is to employ some of the takeaways I noted from the authors: • Specificity accelerates growth. This is a big one that I try to identify regularly. Vague positivity may protect feelings, but it doesn’t strengthen capability. Specific, behavior-anchored feedback is what enables leaders to repeat what works and correct what doesn’t. • Psychological safety is a performance multiplier. Teams only offer candid insights when they trust the process. Building that trust is foundational to any improvement effort — operational, clinical, or cultural. • Leaders influence the feedback loop. We set the tone by how we listen, how we respond, and whether we act. When leaders demonstrate openness and curiosity, feedback becomes part of the operating rhythm. • Real feedback supports alignment across complex systems. Healthcare organizations move faster and more effectively when leaders share a common understanding of expectations, strengths, and opportunities. Honest feedback strengthens that alignment. • Feedback is a commitment to equity. Creating space for all voices is essential to building equitable systems of care. Feedback is both a mechanism and a mirror for that work. As we move into a year where transformation in healthcare will demand even more agility, transparency, and partnership, we all can use a reminder that the most effective leaders are the ones who make feedback a daily discipline and not an episodic event. That mindset doesn’t just develop leaders. It strengthens teams, elevates culture, and creates the conditions where patients and communities can thrive. #CMOInsights #HealthcareLeadership #Feedback #Leadership https://buff.ly/XosKu3b

Many managers assume their titles give them permission to give feedback. Not quite. That’s exactly where many people managers stumble. They assume authority equals permission to critique. They believe they can give unvarnished feedback on day 1. They overlook the investment needed to build permission. The truth? Feedback only fuels growth if you’ve put in the work upfront. In my recent talk about "Making the Shift from Manager to Coach," I shared a six-step framework for turning feedback into fuel for growth: 1. Build the Relationship Feedback only lands when trust exists. Start early—recruiting, onboarding, first 1:1s. Learn their goals and dreams. Show real care. When people know you’re invested in them, they’ll actually hear you when you challenge them. 2. Shift the Perception Many employees see feedback as criticism. I know used to. Instead, reframe it as fuel for growth—without it, skills and careers stagnate. Explain how you use feedback to grow. Ask: “How do you like to receive feedback—real-time or in one-on-ones?” Learn about their past experiences and pitfalls to avoid. 3. Make It About Them, Not You Don’t tie feedback to your frustrations or reputation. Keep the spotlight on their growth, outcomes, and impact. When feedback connects directly to their success, defensiveness drops. 4. Ensure It Serves Growth Don’t just say what went wrong—point out why it matters and what to do differently. Connect the dots to their goals and their careers. Suggested actions > vague critiques. 5. Make It a Choice Ownership beats compliance every time. After giving feedback, ask: “What difference could this make if you shifted this behavior?” Invite them to choose the next step. When feedback feels like a choice, not a demand, ownership and accountability skyrockets. 6. Coach to Action Feedback is the starting line, not the finish line. Follow up, check progress, and clear obstacles. Offer resources and encouragement. Growth sticks when feedback becomes part of an ongoing coaching conversation. When managers get this right, feedback doesn’t drain trust—it builds it. It doesn’t create fear—it sparks ownership. And it doesn’t impede growth—it accelerates it. I love delivering this talk—because when managers get this right, their people grow faster, their teams thrive, and results follow. If your leaders struggle giving feedback, let’s connect.

I’ve often been asked, “What kind of learning drives growth within an organization?” For me, it’s simple: consistent feedback meetings. When I was at Morgan Stanley, my boss invited me to these bi-weekly feedback sessions, and they quickly became some of the most valuable moments in my career. These weren’t just performance reviews; they were chances to gain insight into my boss’s vision, align on shared goals, and grow as part of a team. I genuinely believe more organizations should embrace this approach. I have learned 3 things from those meetings that I still carry with me today: 1. Clear Expectations: Feedback sessions helped me understand what success looked like beyond deliverables—what values and standards the team upheld. This clarity empowered me to deliver meaningful work. 2. Opportunities for Growth: I was often given suggestions for improvement and resources to support my development. These sessions reminded me that the organization was invested in my personal and professional growth. 3. Stronger Relationships: Feedback meetings allowed for open, honest dialogue with my boss. Knowing I had a voice made a huge difference, building trust and setting the foundation for a collaborative environment. Since that time, I have always carried feedback meetings with me and my team. They became essential for building alignment, nurturing talent, and creating a positive work culture. What feedback practices have made a difference in your career? #meetings