‘Feedback is the breakfast of champions’; a quote attributed to author Ken Blanchard, highlighting that consistent feedback is essential for personal and professional growth.
High-performing individuals do not improve by chance; they improve because they build deliberate habits of reflection and challenge. Yet despite many of us understanding its value intellectually, many people still hesitate when it comes to giving feedback and feel deeply uncomfortable receiving it.
In a recent ‘confident conversations’ workshop, participants cited some of the reasons they struggle to give feedback:
● ‘I lack confidence’
● ‘I worry about upsetting other people’
● ‘I fear I might be wrong’
● ‘I want to avoid conflict’
● ‘Fear of being talked down or ignored’
● ‘Not trusting that I am good enough’
● ‘I fear how it will be perceived’
● ‘I might be challenged’
In my early years of managing a team, I felt these tensions daily - it was easy to praise and acknowledge others when things were going well. But performance conversations were terrifying and often avoided. This led to greater issues - things that should have been addressed in minutes lingered for months. Misunderstandings multiplied. Opportunities for development were missed. The result was not harmony; it was frustration. It became clear that avoiding feedback doesn’t preserve relationships; it weakens them.
In teams I work with now, I see the extent to which people are holding back and it scares me. Imagine the collective impact of what is not being said in your team. That’s the opportunity for growth, ideas, development, challenge and improvement - all staying silent.
In a business environment defined by pace and constant change, a culture of feedback is a strategic advantage (not a once a year tick box exercise).
Feedback done well
Feedback provides clarity. It reveals blind spots that even experienced leaders cannot see alone. It accelerates learning cycles that would otherwise take years. When exchanged respectfully and consistently, feedback aligns teams around shared standards and expectations. It reduces ambiguity, strengthens accountability, and enables organisations to adapt faster than their competitors.
Feedback is most impactful when it is done well.
Many managers default to vague praise, delayed conversations, or overly critical commentary. Valuable feedback is clear, specific, and anchored in observable behaviour and measurable impact. It separates intent from outcome and focuses on what can be improved, replicated, or rethought. This requires structure, discipline, and confidence.
Giving valuable feedback requires skill. It’s not about just being ‘nice’ or being ‘brutally honest’. Author Kim Scott would call this intersection ‘Radical Candor’ (the title of her best selling book). Scott developed a framework to help people give feedback and build strong working relationships by encouraging open, honest communication that balances caring personally with challenging directly.
Just as importantly as giving feedback is the skill of receiving feedback.
The most effective leaders are not those who avoid critique, but those who actively seek it. The ability to listen without immediate judgment, ask questions to understand, and evaluate feedback objectively is a defining characteristic of resilient leaders. When individuals learn to receive feedback with openness and composure, they role model a culture where learning is continuous and improvement is expected.
So are you someone who eats feedback for breakfast? Are you a leader role-modelling the importance of radical candor within your organisation? How do you respond to well-timed, caring yet concise feedback vs vague feedback from your manager?
In essence, feedback is not a difficult conversation to be endured, but a skill to be developed; one which can put you and your team or organisation at a competitive advantage.
When approached with clarity, care, and intention, it becomes the mechanism through which teams learn faster, trust deeper, and perform better.
On 7th April, I’m running a lunchtime session on The Art of Feedback, which is an opportunity to build that capability: to strengthen your confidence, refine your approach, and leave with practical tools to make feedback a natural, valued part of how you lead and work every day. Visit https://www.gemmabrowncoaching.co.uk/service-page/the-art-of-feedback?referral=service_list _widget for details.