Introduction: Why Feedback is a Manager’s Most Powerful Tool
For managers, feedback is more than just a performance evaluation tool.
It is the foundation of leadership, team development, and organizational success. Yet, many managers struggle with both giving and receiving feedback. Employees often resist or misinterpret feedback, while managers themselves rarely receive constructive input about their own performance.
As Jorge Loebl, founder of Revolving Change, put it:
“Feedback is a powerful tool, but when misused or poorly understood, it can create havoc, hurt relationships, and even destroy team morale. Managers must learn how to give feedback in a way that is constructive, solution-oriented, and beneficial to both the individual and the organization.”
In this article, we will explore:
- Why feedback is essential for managerial success
- Common mistakes managers make when giving feedback
- How to create an environment where employees are open to feedback
- Our Discover, Design, Deliver (DDD) process for effective feedback
Feedback is not just about performance correction. It is about growth, trust, and continuous improvement.
Why Feedback Feels So Hard for Managers
Managers hold a unique position in the feedback process. They must deliver feedback to their teams while also navigating feedback from their own superiors.
However, many managers struggle with this dual role due to several key challenges.
Common Feedback Challenges for Managers
- Employees Fear Feedback – Many employees associate feedback with criticism, making them defensive before the conversation even begins.
- Managers Lack Training – Many managers have never been trained on how to deliver feedback constructively.
- Feedback is Only Given When Something is Wrong – If feedback is only used to correct mistakes, employees begin to fear it rather than see it as a growth tool.
- Leaders Rarely Receive Feedback – The higher up a manager is, the less feedback they receive, leading to potential blind spots in leadership.
Jorge explains how these challenges affect feedback effectiveness:
“If managers only give feedback when something goes wrong, employees will always see it as a punishment. That’s when they become defensive. But if feedback is part of everyday management, it becomes a normal conversation instead of something to fear.”
The Discover, Design, Deliver (DDD) Framework for Effective Feedback
To help managers master feedback, Revolving Change developed our Discover, Design, Deliver (DDD) process, ensuring that feedback is not only constructive but also leads to real improvement.
Discover: Why Feedback Isn’t Landing with Your Team
Before improving how feedback is given, managers must assess their current feedback culture.
Questions to ask:
- How often do I give feedback to my employees?
- Do my employees feel comfortable receiving feedback?
- Do I only give feedback when something is wrong?
- Have I ever asked my employees for feedback on my leadership?
Many managers believe they are good at giving feedback simply because they deliver it often.
However, if employees are not acting on the feedback or seem defensive, something is wrong in the delivery process.
Jorge describes how this disconnect happens:
“Managers say, ‘But I followed the checklist on how to give feedback!’ My question is, did the employees receive a checklist on how to receive feedback? Because if they don’t know how to process it, then even well-structured feedback will fail.”
A key issue in many workplaces is a lack of training on how to receive feedback.
If employees have never been taught how to process constructive criticism, they will instinctively reject it.
Design: Build Feedback into Your Management Rhythm
Once problem areas are identified, managers need to redesign their approach to feedback to ensure it is productive.
How to make feedback effective:
- Make Feedback Routine – Feedback should not be a special event. Normalize it in team meetings, one-on-ones, and daily check-ins.
- Deliver Feedback with Intent – Feedback should be specific, actionable, and connected to a larger goal rather than vague or overly broad.
- Encourage Two-Way Feedback – Employees should feel comfortable providing feedback to their managers. This builds trust and improves team dynamics.
- Use Coaching, Not Just Correction – Good feedback should not just point out mistakes but should guide employees toward solutions and improvement strategies.
Jorge illustrates this with an example:
“If my feedback to an employee is just, ‘Your performance is substandard, and it needs to improve,’ that’s not helpful. A better approach is, ‘Here is what I noticed, here’s how it’s impacting the team, and here’s how we can work together to improve it.’ The goal is not to make the employee feel bad but to empower them with a plan for success.”
Many managers rely on the “sandwich method” (positive-negative-positive), believing it will soften the impact of criticism. However, if used incorrectly, employees may only hear the positive parts and ignore the constructive portion, or they may become skeptical of praise altogether.
A more effective approach is to frame all feedback as a tool for growth, making it a natural and expected part of workplace conversations.
Deliver: Coach Your Team to Embrace Feedback
Even the best-delivered feedback can fail if employees do not know how to receive it.
How to train employees to receive feedback:
- Normalize Asking for Feedback – Encourage employees to actively seek feedback rather than wait for it.
- Reinforce Positive Feedback – Recognize achievements as often as you correct mistakes.
- Manage Emotional Reactions – If an employee reacts defensively, acknowledge their emotions while keeping the conversation productive.
- Set Clear Expectations – If employees know what is expected of them, feedback will feel fair and predictable rather than arbitrary.
Jorge shares a real-world example of how unchecked defensiveness can derail feedback:
“I have seen managers avoid giving necessary feedback because they feared an employee’s reaction. But avoiding feedback doesn’t help. Instead, managers need to be trained to handle emotional reactions and ensure the conversation stays on track.”
To prevent emotional feedback conversations from escalating, managers should:
- Stay calm and focused on solutions.
- Acknowledge the employee’s emotions but redirect the discussion back to improvement strategies.
- Ask open-ended questions to help employees self-reflect on their performance.
Feedback is a two-way street. Just as employees must be open to receiving it, managers must also be willing to receive feedback from their teams.
Final Takeaway: Feedback Gets Easier with Practice
Effective feedback is not about correcting mistakes. It is about creating a culture of continuous improvement.
When managers train their teams, set clear expectations, and integrate feedback into everyday interactions, they will see:
- Increased employee engagement
- Higher team productivity
- Stronger leadership development
- More trust between employees and management
Jorge emphasizes that feedback should be seen as a leadership tool, not just a managerial duty:
“A great manager doesn’t just give feedback, they create an environment where feedback is welcomed, understood, and acted upon. When feedback is a regular, constructive part of leadership, teams thrive.”
Make Feedback a Team-Building Tool
Feedback doesn’t have to feel awkward or one-sided.
When done right, it builds trust, strengthens morale, and drives team performance.
Our Membership shows you how to embed healthy feedback practices into daily management.