Creating Feedback Guidelines for Training Sessions

Last week, a mentee came to me after her annual review. Her feedback was good — specific enough to sting a little. She walked out with every intention of acting on it. I asked her one question: "What's different on your calendar this week?" She paused. Nothing was different. That's where feedback dies — not in the reading of it, but in the week after, when life resumes and the document closes. Understanding feedback and acting on it are two completely different skills. Most people only practice one. Here's what I told her to do instead: 𝟭/ 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 "Be more strategic" tells you nothing. This does: take the project you're leading and present how it accelerates a priority your organization cares about — before your next leadership meeting. Specific. Timely. Actionable. For every piece of feedback, ask: what does this look like in practice? 𝟮/ 𝗔𝗱𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 If it doesn't make it into your goals, it's not going to happen. Don't create a separate "development item" that lives outside your work — embed it into the goal itself or into how you'll achieve it. If the feedback is "delegate more and develop your team," don't just note it. Update your existing goal to: 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘟 𝘣𝘺 𝘘3, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴. Same goal. The feedback is now inside it. 𝟯/ 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿 Your calendar is your priorities made visible. If the change you need to make doesn't appear there, it won't happen. If the feedback is "scale your impact by partnering across the organization," don't wait for opportunities to show up. Schedule 1:1s this week with leaders in adjacent teams to learn their priorities. What's on your calendar next Monday tells you more about your intentions than anything you wrote in your development plan. 𝟰/ 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 Share what you're working on with a peer, a mentor, or your manager. Not for accountability theater — because saying it out loud makes it real. And it invites the micro-feedback you'll need along the way. 𝟱/ 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝟵𝟬-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 Not "am I trying harder?" — what's actually different in what you do? If the answer is nothing, the feedback is already expiring. The annual review is a gift. Most people open it, admire it, and put it back in the box. If nothing changes in what you do, the outcome is likely to be the same. What’s one change you’ve actually put on your calendar this year? PS: If you know someone in the middle of their review cycle — send this their way. --- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for weekly Leadership and Career posts

The most dangerous kind of feedback isn’t the harsh kind. It’s the kind that sounds fine but changes nothing. Leaders waste hours repeating the same points, wondering why nothing sticks. It’s not laziness on your team’s part. It’s that your words aren’t sparking movement. Here’s what separates feedback that shifts behaviour from feedback that disappears into thin air: 1. Trust before talk:  No trust, no change. People listen with half an ear when they feel judged. 2. Precision over politeness:  “Work on your communication” is vague. Try: “When updates are last-minute, the team scrambles. Sharing earlier would prevent the chaos.” 3. Show strengths before gaps:  When you acknowledge what’s working, people are more willing to improve what isn’t.  For example: “Your presentation was clear and engaging. Adding data at the start would make it even more convincing.” 4. Behaviours, not labels:  Telling someone they’re careless won’t change anything. Showing them the specific action that caused the mistake might. And here are extra ways to make feedback actually land: ➡️Pick the right timing. Feedback in the middle of stress or conflict rarely gets heard. Wait until people are calm enough to absorb it. ➡️ Frame it as a possibility. Instead of only pointing to what went wrong, highlight the potential you see. People lean in when they feel you believe in them. ➡️ Make it a dialogue. Ask “How do you see it?” or “What could help you here?” Feedback works best when it becomes a shared problem-solving moment. ➡️ Anchor to purpose. Connect the feedback to the bigger picture: “When reports are clear, the client trusts us more.” Purpose creates motivation. ➡️ Balance the emotional tone. A steady, calm delivery helps the person stay open. If you sound irritated or rushed, the message gets lost. ➡️ Close with next steps. Clarity comes from knowing exactly what to try next and when you’ll review it together. Feedback is either a lever for growth or a loop you get stuck in. The choice is in how you deliver it. When you give feedback, do you focus more on safety, clarity, or motivation? #feedback #difficultconversations #work

In any collaborative environment, providing constructive and thoughtful feedback is a skill that can elevate both individuals and teams. Here's a quick guide to mastering the art of giving good feedback: Address the behavior or outcome you want to discuss with precision. Specific feedback is more actionable and easier to understand. Additionally, provide feedback as close to the event as possible, ensuring its relevance and impact. -Begin by acknowledging what went well. Positive reinforcement sets a constructive tone and helps the recipient understand their strengths, fostering a more receptive mindset for improvement. -Frame your feedback in a way that encourages growth rather than focusing solely on mistakes. Offer solutions or alternatives, guiding the individual toward improvement. Avoid personal attacks and maintain a professional, supportive tone. -Express your feedback from a personal perspective using "I" statements. This approach helps avoid sounding accusatory and emphasizes your observations or feelings about the situation. -Critique actions and behaviors rather than judge the person's character. This helps the individual understand what specific actions can be adjusted or improved. -Feedback should be a two-way street. Encourage the recipient to share their perspective, thoughts, and potential solutions. A collaborative discussion fosters a sense of ownership and commitment to improvement. -A healthy feedback mix includes both positive reinforcement and developmental guidance. Recognize achievements and strengths while offering insights into areas for growth. This balance creates a well-rounded view and motivates continuous improvement. -Pay attention to your tone and body language when delivering feedback. A respectful and empathetic approach enhances the impact of your message. Ensure your feedback aligns with your intention to support and guide rather than criticize. -Effective feedback doesn't end with delivery. Follow up to check progress, provide additional guidance, and show ongoing support. This reinforces the idea that feedback is a continuous process aimed at improvement. -Just as you provide feedback, be open to receiving feedback on your communication style. Continuous improvement applies to everyone, and being receptive to constructive criticism enhances your ability to provide effective feedback in the future. Remember, the goal of good feedback is to inspire growth and improvement. By incorporating these principles, you contribute to a positive and collaborative environment where individuals and teams can thrive. What would you add?

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 🗣️ Ever feel like your Learning and Development (L&D) programs are missing the mark? You're not alone. One of the biggest pitfalls in L&D is the lack of mechanisms for collecting and acting on employee feedback. Without this crucial component, your initiatives may fail to address the real needs and preferences of your team, leaving them disengaged and underprepared. 📌 And here's the kicker—if you ignore this, your L&D efforts risk becoming irrelevant, wasting valuable resources, and ultimately failing to develop the skills your workforce truly needs. But don't worry—there’s a straightforward fix: integrate feedback loops into your L&D programs. Here’s a clear plan to get started: 📝 Surveys and Questionnaires: Regularly distribute surveys and questionnaires to gather insights on what’s working and what isn’t. Keep them short and focused to maximize response rates and actionable feedback. 📝 Focus Groups: Organize small focus groups to dive deeper into specific issues. This setting allows for more detailed discussions and nuanced understanding of employee needs and preferences. 📝 Real-Time Polling: Use real-time polling tools during training sessions to gauge immediate reactions and make on-the-fly adjustments. This keeps the learning experience dynamic and responsive. 📝 One-on-One Interviews: Conduct one-on-one interviews with a diverse cross-section of employees to get a more personal and detailed perspective. This can uncover insights that broader surveys might miss. 📝 Anonymous Feedback Channels: Ensure there are anonymous ways for employees to provide feedback. This encourages honesty and helps identify issues that employees might be hesitant to discuss openly. 📝 Feedback Integration: Don’t just collect feedback—act on it. Regularly review the feedback and make necessary adjustments to your L&D programs. Communicate these changes to employees to show that their input is valued and acted upon. 📝 Continuous Monitoring: Use analytics tools to continuously monitor engagement and performance metrics. This provides ongoing data to help refine and improve your L&D initiatives. Integrating these feedback mechanisms will not only enhance the effectiveness of your L&D programs but also boost employee engagement and satisfaction. When employees see that their feedback leads to tangible changes, they are more likely to be invested in the learning process. Have any innovative ways to incorporate feedback into L&D? Drop your tips in the comments! ⬇️ #LearningAndDevelopment #EmployeeEngagement #ContinuousImprovement #FeedbackLoop #ProfessionalDevelopment #TrainingInnovation

Your primary role as a leader is to develop your team members. Providing regular, timely feedback is a necessary aspect of helping them reach their potential. But sometimes, feedback can unintentionally come across as criticism, making teams defensive rather than inspired. The difference lies in your approach. Where Leaders Go Wrong: 1) 🕛 Timing: Jumping on mistakes as they happen can make team members feel targeted. 2) 👥 Setting: Offering criticism in front of peers and in a public forum can embarrass and demoralize. 3) 🗣 Lack of Specificity: Vague feedback leaves team members confused about how to improve. Here’s how to ensure feedback is useful: 1) ⏸ Pause and Plan: Give yourself time to consider and frame the feedback. This allows you to approach the situation with a clear, constructive plan rather than a reactive comment. 2) 👨🏫 Choose the Right Setting: Feedback should be a private conversation, not a public spectacle. This creates a safe space for open dialogue. 3) 🎯 Be Specific and Actionable: Clearly articulate what needs improvement and offer specific, actionable steps to achieve this. Set benchmarks and measurements for growth and follow-up. This shows your commitment to their growth. 4) 🚩 Focus on the Behavior, Not the Person: Emphasize that the feedback is about actions and outcomes, not personal attributes. This encourages a growth mindset. 5) 🗣 Invite Dialogue: Feedback is a two-way street. Encourage your team members to share their perspectives, fostering a collaborative approach to improvement. Next time you have feedback to give, apply these 5 steps. You’ll find defensiveness shifts to receptivity and results. #feedback #growth #communication #leadership #executivecoaching

The worst feedback isn't harsh criticism. It's feedback that teaches the wrong lesson. That focuses on the wrong thing. Some time ago, a teammate launched a new initiative. It was strong—strategic, well-executed. Right after, she asked for feedback. I zoomed in on a minor detail. Something trivial. She thanked me. Six months later during a performance discussion, she brought it up again. She still remembered. Not because it helped—because it confused her. Without saying so, it was evident she was disappointed in me. I hadn’t praised the excellent work. I’d taught her to second-guess it. That moment rewired how I approach feedback. Now, I ask one question first: "What am I teaching by sharing this feedback?” This question has changed how I deliver feedback. → It shifts focus from pointing out problems to developing people → It makes you consider the lasting impact of your words → It helps you choose what truly matters Asking the question is just the start - here's how to put into practice. ---The 3-Step Feedback Filter--- 1. Pause Before Speaking Ask "What message am I trying to send?" ↳ Am I strengthening confidence or doubt? ↳ Will they focus on strengths or weaknesses? 2. Lead With Impact Start with what worked well before addressing gaps ↳ "The strategic thinking here is excellent. Let's build on that..." ↳ "Your execution was solid. Here's one area to amplify..." 3. Connect Feedback to Growth End with development, not just correction: ↳ "This skill will serve you in bigger roles" ↳ "Mastering this positions you for the next level" Before you give feedback, ask yourself... "When I share this feedback, what am I teaching?" The answer will change how you deliver it. And what you choose to focus on. How do you ensure your feedback is focused on developing a person?

10,000 hours of practice? Yeah, they still matter, but they only pay off when each hour rides shotgun with immediate feedback. Stanford neuroscientist David Eagleman told Inc. Magazine that relevance and real-time correction are the multipliers that turn long practice into fast mastery. If practice is water, feedback is the cup that keeps it from spilling out all over the place. When repetition runs on autopilot, your brain quietly holds on to every flaw. A crisp critique, whether from a coach, a peer, or an AI copilot, snaps you back into conscious control. It rewires the pattern before it hardens, and delivers the small win that keeps motivation rolling for the next rep. Practical ways to blend those hours with high-velocity feedback: 🏹 Set micro-targets for every session Name one measurable outcome before you start (trim thirty seconds off a 5K split, refactor a function to cut runtime by five percent, open a discovery call without filler words). End only after you check that metric. 🏹 Build a same-day feedback channel Pair each practice block with a critic who can respond within twenty-four hours: a mentor dropping Loom notes on your sales call, an AI pair-programmer flagging inefficient loops the moment you hit Save, or a training app overlaying bike-fit angles on video right after your ride. 🏹 Run a five-minute post-mortem Immediately jot what worked, what flopped, and the single tweak you will test next time. Reflection turns raw data into insight while the memory is still warm. 🏹 Track velocity over volume Count iterations per week, bugs squashed per hour, objections neutralized per call, or whatever. Share those numbers publicly so the team celebrates speed of improvement rather than brute hours logged. If 10,000 hours is tuition, feedback is the scholarship that lets you graduate early. Which feedback ritual shaved months off your learning curve? Share so we can tighten the loop together. Welcome to Tuesday, ya'll!

Session 4 of FCPA’s Leadership Development Program, we explored one of the most important and most challenging leadership competencies: giving and receiving feedback. Whether you are a manager, supervisor, or individual contributor, feedback sits at the heart of your growth. It shapes performance, strengthens relationships, and is often the key differentiator between leaders who thrive and those who struggle with interpersonal effectiveness. Yet despite its importance, many of us still wrestle with how to give feedback well and how to receive it with openness and grace. 🎯One of our core messages during the session was this: Feedback is information. Not “positive.” Not “negative.” Not “good” or “bad.”. It’s information that helps us understand what to stop, start, and continue and ultimately how others experience us. As participants reflected on their comfort levels and shared their own experiences, we aligned on a few essential truths: 1. Feedback is a gift: When we withhold it, we deny others the opportunity to grow, improve, and succeed. 2. How you give feedback matters: We practiced using the Situation–Behavior–Impact–Intent model from the Center for Creative Leadership a simple, powerful tool for delivering feedback that is clear, specific, and timely. 3. Remember the feedback principle: 80% honest, 20% kind: Honesty without kindness is harsh. Kindness without honesty is unhelpful. Both matter. 4. Always ask permission: May I share an observation with you?:It creates psychological safety and ensures the person is ready to hear what you have to say. 5. Check your motives and your biases: Feedback should serve the person and the work, not your emotions or assumptions. 6. Always say thank you: Even when the feedback is hard to hear. Even if you don’t agree. Gratitude keeps the door open for more learning. 7. Relationships matter: Where trust lives, feedback can flourish. And the higher up you go in an organization, the less feedback you receive which means many leaders are walking around unaware of blind spots that are limiting their impact. If you’re not receiving feedback, ask for it: What is one thing I could do differently that would make working with me easier? We closed the session with one of my favorite reminders from #AdamGrant: “The point of giving feedback is not to make people feel good today. It’s to help them do better tomorrow. Tell people what they NEED to hear, not what they WANT to hear.” And anchored with a powerful thought from the #CCL: “The only way to know what someone intended is to ask them and the only way to let a person know their impact is to tell them.” I’m proud of this cohort for leaning into vulnerability, practicing these conversations, and committing to creating a stronger culture of feedback across FCPA. That willingness to grow and to help others grow , is what leadership is truly about. #leadershipdevelopment #feedbackculture #OD #talentdevelopment #FCPA #learninganddevelopment #managertraining

As a manager, have you ever sent someone to a training or a series of workshops… and then noticed little (or no) change afterward? For learning and development to last, the connection between lessons learned and the work needs to be explicit. Support from a manager to connect expected learning and behavior change to the job will expedite learning and change in behavior. Suggested steps (manager + person attending meet to discuss): 1. Why this training? - What evident challenges illustrate that this workshop/training will be helpful and effective? - What have you noticed? - How is it affecting the work? - How is it affecting the work of others? 2. What do we want to see change? - What do you hope happens from the person taking this workshop/training? - What do you want to see changed or improved? - How will you notice or measure this change or improvement? - What can you do to support the person in making this change? 3. Follow-up and check-ins How often do you plan to check in and see what is learned and applied? - What has the person learned? - How are they using it? - What are you noticing that is different and better? - How can you help? 4. 15 / 30 / 45 / 60 days post-training - What is still being applied? - What are you noticing that is better or different? - Is there more training or support needed?

Most feedback feels like an attack. That’s why people shut down instead of grow. Not because people don’t care. But because it’s delivered poorly. ↳ Too vague ↳ Too harsh ↳ Too late Here’s how to give feedback that actually lands: (and makes people better, not bitter) 1. Don’t ambush, set the stage → No one likes being caught off guard → Say: “Can we talk about something I noticed?” → Giving a heads-up lowers defensiveness 2. Focus on behaviors, not personality → Don’t say: “You’re careless with deadlines” → Say: “This report was late, which caused delays” → It keeps the conversation objective, not personal 3. Use the “win-win” frame → Feedback should feel like support, not punishment → Say: “I share this as I want to see you succeed” → It shows you care about them beyond results 4. Go small, go early → Don’t wait for a pattern to get worse → Correct small things early with care → Light guidance >>> heavy correction 5. Ask, don’t preach → Say: “How did you feel that went?” or → “What do you think could’ve been better?” → Feedback is a conversation. Not a monologue 6. End with belief → Say: “I know you can turn this around.” → “You’ve done great work before, I believe in you” → People remember how you made them feel 7. Don’t wait for a reason, make feedback normal → Create a culture where feedback is regular, not rare → Give it when things go right too → This makes your team stronger, faster Feedback isn’t about being right. It’s about helping people grow. Feedback is a tool for performance. Not a source of fear. ♻️ Repost it to help leaders grow their people And follow Andrea Petrone for more.