Creating a Culture of Feedback: What Most Managers Get Wrong

Giving feedback is hard.
Receiving it? Even harder.

That’s why most companies say they value feedback…
…but fail to build a real culture around it.

A culture of feedback isn’t just about performance reviews or 1:1s.
It’s about psychological safety, clear expectations, and real-time conversations that help people grow.

🔍 What Is a Culture of Feedback?

It’s not about micromanaging or critiquing every move.

It’s about:

• Normalizing continuous improvement

• Making feedback a two-way street

• Creating a safe space where feedback isn’t scary—it’s empowering

🧠 Why It Matters

Managers who foster feedback cultures:

• See better performance

• Build more resilient, self-aware teams

• Reduce interpersonal friction and drama

• Help people course-correct early—before it becomes a crisis

In contrast, managers who avoid feedback…
Create confusion, frustration, and stagnation.

🛠️ Tips to Build It

Do this:

• Start by asking for feedback yourself

• Make feedback timely and specific

• Give positive feedback publicly, and developmental feedback privately

• Use structured tools (like Start/Stop/Continue or 360s)

Don’t do this:

• Don’t wait for annual reviews

• Don’t make feedback punitive

• Don’t assume people know how to give or receive it well—train them

🚀 Real Example

At one startup, the CEO ended every leadership meeting with this question:
“What’s one thing I could do better as your teammate?”

Over time, her direct reports began doing the same with their teams.
It wasn’t long before feedback became the norm—not the exception.

❓ Reflection Questions

• Do I model what good feedback looks like?

• When’s the last time I asked for feedback from my team?

• Have I created a space where my team feels safe giving and receiving feedback?