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Today’s edition of The Executiv was written by Erin Helcl, Executiv Member, Customer Experience Exec and Managing Director of New Helio Strategies.

The Feedback Shift That Transforms Teams

As leaders, we know feedback is essential for growth. But here's what I've learned after years of delivering leadership training and building and leading high-performing teams: most feedback fails because it's either too vague, feels punitive, or doesn't create space for dialogue.

We're wired to call out what someone did wrong or label it "constructive criticism," but there's a better way. Most people don't wake up thinking, "I really want to do a bad job at work today," which means intentions are usually great and feedback can take us to the next level while reinforcing what we're already doing well. This approach moves us from unconscious competence to conscious competence, helping us repeat what makes us great while growing in other areas, and giving space for receivers to disagree and discuss.

The solution is a two-track approach that reinforces what's working while building new capabilities, all within a framework that actually makes people feel safe to grow.

The Two Tracks of Effective Feedback

Track 1: Reinforcement Feedback reinforces and strengthens behaviors and skills that are already working.

Track 2: Future-Focused Ideas creates new or improved capabilities through specific, actionable suggestions.

Both tracks follow the same structure, but with different intentions. Let me show you how this works in practice.

The Framework in Action

Track 1: Reinforcement Feedback

Skill Headline: Start by naming the specific skill or behavior you observed.

"In that last presentation, you really used storytelling to your advantage."

Specificity: Get granular about what exactly worked.

"Specifically, when you told the story about how the additional funding would change the customer experience through images and narrative, then tied this to how we could reinvest the additional revenue."

Impact: Share the observable results.

"The impact were smiles, nodding heads, great questions, and ultimately approval for our funding!"

Co-Creation: Create space for partnership and shared ownership.

"How did this land for you? What else could we build on together to make your next presentation even more impactful?"

The Framework in Action

Track 2: Future-Focused Ideas

The structure remains the same, but shifts toward possibility:

"An idea for next time would be to share the objectives for the presentation upfront—specifically telling the audience what you need from them so they're set up with this objective in mind and can ask questions related to the outcome you're looking for. What are your thoughts on this approach? How might we customize it to fit your style?"

The Psychological Safety Connection

This framework doesn't just deliver better feedback but creates the four stages of psychological safety that teams need to thrive.

Inclusion Safety: By starting with what's working, you're affirming the person's value and place on the team.

Learner Safety: The specific, observation-based approach removes judgment and creates space for growth without fear of failure.

Contributor Safety: When you highlight impact and invite dialogue, you're recognizing their contributions and encouraging more.

Challenger Safety: Future-focused ideas, delivered as collaborative possibilities rather than directives, empowers people to take risks and innovate.

Why This Matters for High-Performing Teams

High-performing teams thrive on clarity, growth, and trust, making feedback a critical tool for maintaining excellence while pushing boundaries. When team members know their strengths are recognized and built upon, they leverage those capabilities more consistently. When new ideas are presented as collaborative opportunities rather than corrections, teams become more innovative and adaptable.

This framework creates a feedback culture where high performers actively seek ways to elevate their standards, knowing conversations will be constructive rather than threatening.

Applying This Framework to Difficult Conversations

One question that often comes up: how does this work when someone really misses the mark or is underperforming?

You should always start with this two-track framework first. However, if that approach isn't working or you're dealing with a more serious matter, you may need to move to direct feedback about negative impact. Describe specifically how the behavior is affecting the team or outcomes, then shift to ideas or clear requirements about what needs to change.

Even in these tougher conversations, remain specific, invite their response to create a path forward together, and ensure you check for understanding that you're now moving into performance management territory.

Making It Stick

The magic isn't just in the structure but in the co-creation that happens through those final questions, which aren't formalities but where real partnership develops. When you ask "What else could we build on together?" or "How might we customize this to fit your style?" you're shifting from evaluation to collaboration and allowing space for different perspectives or even disagreement.

You're not just giving feedback. You're co-creating growth, building capability, and fostering psychological safety all at once.

This two-track approach has transformed how my teams give and receive feedback. Instead of dreading these conversations, people start seeking them out. Because when feedback feels like partnership rather than judgment, growth becomes inevitable.

What's your experience with feedback? I'd love to hear how you create psychological safety in your leadership conversations.

Erin Helcl

Founder & Managing Director, New Helio Strategies | Customer and Employee Experience Design | Leadership Development

Contact: [email protected] Visit: www.newhelio.ca

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