Reasons for feedback failure

Feedback is a valuable tool in leadership and teamwork coaching, but its effectiveness is intrinsically linked to its delivery.

You may well have witnessed examples of ineffective feedback or experienced it personally. Can you think of specific situations? I'm sure you can. What caused that interaction to fail?

Feedback situations can bring out the best and the worst in people. Some managers manage to provide feedback that is willingly accepted and brings out the best in others, while others generate negative reactions and only serve to irritate the recipient.

Here we explore some common reasons why feedback can fail:

• It does not promote growth: without this potential learning component feedback is meaningless and will only frustrate the recipient. If it only highlights problems without offering suggestions for improvement, the recipient may feel overwhelmed or disoriented.

• Lack of context and examples: Specificity is key. If feedback is vague or unclear, without specific examples of behaviors or situations, the receiver may not fully understand what aspect needs improvement or how to implement the suggested changes.

• Not timely: Lack of timeliness makes it difficult to understand the situation and the reasons for it, rendering it inappropriate. If it was an event that occurred a long time ago, there is no longer any point in discussing it in the context of feedback as it is hopeless.

• Lack of objectivity and empathy: Prejudices should not cloud the process, nothing should be assumed without facts and data. One should delve into the details of the situation to gain perspective.

• Negative or critical tones: A pessimistic or critical tone can put the recipient on the defensive. Always highlighting negative aspects without mentioning the positive ones can create imbalance and is quite demotivating. Also focusing on the person rather than the behavior can be perceived as a personal attack, making it difficult to accept feedback.

• Delivery at inappropriate times: Giving feedback at inopportune times, such as in front of others or in stress