Feedback is one of those things we all know is important but few of us are truly prepared for.
In my work as an HR consultant, I’m often brought into organisations when things have gone wrong, supporting complex and sometimes contentious grievances processes. One thing that comes up time and time again is feedback gone wrong.
Done well, feedback is powerful. It strengthens communication, supports growth, and highlights behaviours that might be holding someone back from reaching their full potential.
But feedback isn’t a one-way process. It’s not about one person “delivering” and the other “receiving.”
It’s a shared responsibility.
Both people need to be open, willing and to engage in it.
The reality is, very few people love receiving developmental feedback. But often that’s not because they don’t want to improve, it is because the feedback hasn’t been delivered in a way that helps them hear it, understand it, or act on it.
At the same time, if we close ourselves off to feedback altogether, we limit our own growth. We can’t improve what we are not prepared to hear.
What I see working well across organisations is this:
The ones who get it right don’t leave feedback to chance.
⭐They prepare their people for it.
⭐They explain why it matters.
⭐They give managers the skills and confidence to deliver it well.
⭐They provide simple frameworks that support both giving and receiving.
And in doing so, they create cultures where feedback isn’t feared, it’s part of how people learn, develop and succeed.
Because when feedback works, people grow. And when people grow, organisations do too.