For many managers, one of the trickiest duties is giving feedback to team members. Yet performance reviews are an unavoidable responsibility. This applies not only to new managers: even seasoned leaders must adjust their style to each new team.
Some believe a manager should constantly encourage and congratulate—but vague praise, or the total absence of corrective input, can actually slow development. High-potential talents, eager to grow, may even leave: “I can’t see my progress, nor how to keep advancing. Staying comfortable might hurt my market value.” These profiles need clear reference points and challenge to thrive.
Used well, feedback is a powerful lever to boost motivation, improve performance, and nurture tomorrow’s top talent. Many managers find it hard because they struggle to stay focused on the essentials or to avoid emotional escalation. In practice, coaching-inspired leadership offers a few simple principles that become easy with rehearsal. Here they are:
- Create a climate of mutual trust
- Separate objective facts from subjective opinions
- Deliver well-targeted positive feedback
- Deliver constructive corrective feedback
- Prepare your own mindset as a manager
1. Create a climate of mutual trust
Trust is built when the environment is predictable. The more consistent the corporate culture, the clearer employees know what is valued and what is discouraged. At team level, the same applies: if the manager is coherent in what he or she praises and criticises, criteria feel balanced. Beyond formal rating systems, the manager develops a team culture—highlighting certain values and applauding behaviours that reflect them. Over time, this stability fosters trust, because employees perceive that assessments rest on recognised standards, not moods.
Moment and setting matter, too. If you compliment someone in a meeting, ensure it relates directly to the topic. If it is a one-to-one, choose a quiet space without interruptions.
2. Separate objective facts from subjective opinions
Under pressure, you may talk too much and mix observation with judgement. Yet for improvement, the employee must grasp exactly what behaviour is appreciated—or not—so he can replicate or adjust it. Flooding the message with emotion blurs the signal. Saying “I’m really disappointed in you” does not specify the misstep or the remedy.
Non-Violent Communication (NVC), developed by Marshall Rosenberg, helps keep feedback concise, factual, and calm. The four steps are:
- Observation : describe the situation as a camera would.
- Feeling : state how you feel—not what you think.
- Need : make explicit what value or requirement is unmet.
- Request : ask clearly what you would like the other person to do.
Example — Instead of: “Why is your team always late?”
Try: “I’ve noticed your team often submits documents late in the day (observation). That stresses me and forces me to work overtime (feeling) because I value spending evenings with my family (need). Would you be willing to adjust your schedule so we each have comfortable turnaround time? (request)”
3. Deliver well-targeted positive feedback
A positive review should:
- Make explicit which behaviour is valuable and why
- Boost the person’s confidence to continue
- Offer a “next step” to amplify the strength
Example — “I noticed you always double-check the figures before sending the report. Thanks to you, we never have errors, which strengthens our credibility with Service X (fact + impact). That’s crucial for us (importance). Could you share your checklist so others can adopt it? (next step)”
4. Deliver constructive corrective feedback
Correction may feel like confrontation, yet it need not be tense if you frame the dialogue properly. The goal is to:
- Clarify the negative impact of a behaviour
- Trigger genuine awareness and learning
- Reach a concrete change
Timing: ideally soon after the event, while memories are fresh.
Start with facts — “In the last two meetings, your slides contained outdated figures. That skewed the discussion (fact). It risks inaccurate forecasts for Sales and Inventory (impact). Mistakes here could cost the company dearly (consequence).” Then invite dialogue and co-create a solution: “Can you tell me what blocked the update? From now on, could you run a quick data check before each meeting?”
5. Prepare your mindset as a manager
Feedback is a conversation. Before starting, ensure you are ready to listen. Be mentally available and prepared to welcome emotions—denial, anger, sadness. Staying centred prevents you from reacting defensively. Remember, balance praise and critique. If you only criticise, your words lose power and morale drops. Regular positive feedback fosters a climate of trust and continuous growth.
Are you ready to hear your employee’s view and to state clearly what you observed and expect?
Further resources
- From expert management to systemic management: the step toward senior leadership
- Keys to succeed in your promotion to senior manager
- Managers in multinationals: learning to wear several hats
Considering coaching to strengthen your managerial skills? Book a free 40-minute discovery session to :
- Obtain an initial diagnosis of your situation
- Determine the most suitable coaching format
- Clarify your goals and expected outcomes
- Spot blind spots and generate new action paths
- Explore my approach and ask any questions