Importance of Feedback in Talent Pipeline Development

Top performers don’t need less feedback. They need more of it. In my career, I heard: » “No news is good news” » “Keep doing what you are doing” » “You are the one I know I don’t need to worry about” But, this left me frustrated because I didn’t have a clear path for growth. A shocking statistic: 30% of top corporate talent leaves within the first year. The reason? Lack of feedback. Here's what the stats say:  » High performers can be 400% more productive  » Top 10% deliver 60% of the team's output  » The 'ripple effect' — top performers enhance nearby coworkers' performance by 15% Yet only 53% of them receive the feedback they want. Top performers deserve more than a “they're doing great, let's not jinx it” attitude. The big mistake:  ❌ Assuming they've got it all figured out ❌ Withholding constructive feedback to not ‘give them a big head’ ❌ Giving feedback only to underperformers What they actually need: ✅ Regular feedback (at least monthly) ✅ Constructive criticism ✅ Clear development paths ✅ Recognition for their impact Avoiding feedback doesn't keep your top talent engaged—it drives them away. Take a moment and encourage them today. P.S. Top performers, what has been the most helpful feedback you have received? ♻️ Repost to help others in your network retain their top talent Follow me, Jill Avey for more leadership insights Research: https://lnkd.in/gDA7RfUV

In a healthy agency culture, feedback is always flowing and driving continuous improvement. It's vital to build a system that drives new feedback... Rather than one-off attempts to gather feedback, set up recurring and repeatable processes. Here are some feedback collection mechanisms that we've used across our Barrel Holdings agencies: 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆: after a project or periodically (e.g. monthly, quarterly), send a short survey asking for scores on communication, work quality, project management, value they feel they're getting, and whatever else. Leave an open-ended space for any additional comments. 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆: each quarter, send around a short questionnaire (Gallup's Q12 has some good questions) to get a sense of how the team is feeling about the work, their colleagues, the culture, and whether they are being supported 𝗪𝗶𝗻/𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: whether you win or lose a prospect, follow up with a call to understand how they came to the decision, what counted for/against your firm, and how you stacked up against competitors. 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗶𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: when an employee hands in their resignation notice, find time to have a convo and dig into what led to their decision, their thoughts on the culture, work, processes, etc. and what they thought could've been better. 𝗔𝗻𝗼𝗻𝘆𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: on some teams, feedback is more forthcoming if it's submitted anonymously. This also opens the door for more extreme types of feedback, but it's an opportunity to gather information that might only become available on Glassdoor later. 𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝗼𝗻-𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗶𝗻𝘀: these can be between manager and direct reports, HR and employees, skip level meetings where leadership meets with employees a few levels below, etc. These are periodic conversations to gain perspective on how a team member is experiencing the work and the culture. It's also an opportunity to surface any roadblocks or issues that are getting in the way. These are some core feedback collection practices – what would you add to this list? And an important note about feedback: it's like any other source of information – some of it may be useful and others not so much. Separate the emotions surrounding it as much as possible and reflect on what makes sense to take away from the feedback. In some cases, you'll want to adapt and evolve but in others you may want to stick to your guns and hold firm on your principles.

Recruiters don’t know what they are talking about. Except we do. Listening to recruiter feedback and reacting is essential for improving your hiring process. Here’s why it matters:  • Recruiters are your eyes and ears in the talent market. • Reacting to feedback shows you value the recruiter’s expertise. • Ignoring recruiter feedback can delay hiring or settling for candidates who aren’t the best fit.  What happens when you don’t listen to recruiter feedback? • Recruiters can help spot red flags that might not be obvious to you. • Candidates may be turning down offers or dropping out of the process.   • If recruiters point out bottlenecks or inefficiencies but you don’t adjust, your hiring process could drag on. Here’s how to listen and react to recruiter feedback effectively:    • Feedback is meant to help, not criticize.    • Don’t just take feedback at face value; ask for details. • Don’t sit on recruiter feedback. If changes need to be made, act quickly to keep things moving forward.   Why recruiters: ~ Recruiters are your partners in finding the right talent. ~ Reacting to feedback shows you’re committed to refining your hiring process. ~ Listening to recruiter feedback helps you hire better and improves the employer's brand. If you want to improve your hiring outcomes:  - Be open to feedback from recruiters.   - Be proactive in making necessary changes.   - Be committed to collaboration for the best results.  Recruiter feedback is your secret weapon. Use it to sharpen your hiring strategy and attract the talent your business needs to thrive.  𝙋𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙥 𝙖 ❤️ 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙛𝙪𝙡.

Right now, I’m working on two searches, and the difference between them says everything. In one, the founder calls me after every interview. We debrief in real time, what worked, what didn’t, and where to pivot. That kind of partnership creates clarity, alignment, and momentum. The short list is tight. The interviews are moving quickly. And we’re expecting a hire by next week. In the other? Feedback trickles in a week later through an HR gatekeeper. No details. Just a “pass” or “fail.” No rationale, no nuance, and no chance to calibrate the search. That’s the difference between driving a search and stalling one. I get it, everyone’s busy. But if you’re serious about making the right hire, timely, thoughtful feedback isn’t optional. It keeps us aligned, helps us represent your brand accurately, and ensures we’re not wasting time chasing the wrong profile. Better feedback leads to better results. It’s that simple. One of the consistent truths in 30 years of recruiting - How a hiring manager treats a their recruiter is generally how he treats his team.

Most leaders don’t struggle to give feedback because they lack good intentions, they struggle because they lack the right frameworks. We say things like: 🗣 “This wasn’t good enough.” 🗣 “You need to speak up more.” 🗣 “That project could’ve been tighter.” But vague feedback isn’t helpful, it’s confusing. And often, it demoralizes more than it motivates. That’s why I love this visual from Rachel Turner (VC Talent Lab). It lays out four highly actionable, research-backed frameworks for giving better feedback: → The 3 Ps Model: Praise → Problem → Potential. Start by recognizing what worked. Then gently raise what didn’t. End with a suggestion for how things could improve. → The SBI Model: Situation → Behavior → Impact. This strips out judgment and makes feedback objective. Instead of “You’re too aggressive in meetings,” it becomes: “In yesterday’s meeting (Situation), you spoke over colleagues multiple times (Behavior), which made some feel unable to share (Impact).” → Harvard’s HEAR Framework: A powerful structure for disagreement. Hedge claims. Emphasize agreement. Acknowledge their point. Reframe to solutions. → General Feedback Tips: – Be timely. – Be specific. – Focus on behavior, not identity. – Reinforce the positive (and remember the 5:1 rule). Here’s what I tell senior FMCG leaders all the time: Good feedback builds performance. Great feedback builds culture. The best feedback builds trust, and that’s what retains your best people. So next time you hesitate before giving hard feedback? Remember this: → You’re not there to criticize. → You’re there to build capacity. Save this as your cheat sheet. Share it with your teams. Let’s make feedback a tool for growth, not fear. #Leadership #FMCG #TalentDevelopment #PerformanceCulture #FeedbackMatters #ExecutiveDevelop

It's that time again. The dreaded annual performance review. Annual performance reviews are undeniably ineffective. (Yes, I’m an “HR person” putting a nail in the coffin of an activity that’s been our swan-song for eons….)    Survey after notable survey have reported that nearly every manager AND employee questioned believe that annual performance reviews weren’t effective or useful.    My friends, the traditional process is flawed.    Why?    First, the traditional review process focuses on the past rather than the future. This backward-looking conversation has shown to demotivate employees. (And, who really remembers what they did 11 months ago!? Raise your hand if you’ve reviewed your calendar from the past 12-months to remember what you did and accomplished? 🙋♀️)    So, how do you hold staff accountable while avoiding a cumbersome (and demoralizing) conversation?    Here’s the deal -    Employees prefer consistent, timely feedback to address roadblocks, receive recognition, and build a foundation of trust with their leaders. That’s why a less formal, more consistent approach to performance management benefits employee, team, and business success.    So, what should the process be?     1. 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝗼𝗻-𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀  These informal meetings serve as an opportunity to recognize employees for their hard work, assess roadblocks, and coach performance. Regular one-on-ones help managers evaluate results as they come, not months later. That way, you can correct ineffective processes before they become a habit.    2. 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗶𝗻𝘀  Quarterly checks are a great supplement to your one-on-one opportunities. These can be more formal.    3. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝘁𝘄𝗼-𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸  This enables both employees and managers to ask for feedback. Not only does this make employees feel like their opinions matter, but it gives managers the insight they need to improve the employee experience and grow as a leader. In addition, your employees will be more likely to accept feedback without hesitation when it goes both ways.    4. 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀  Career development conversations help employees and managers align on the future. These conversations allow managers to recognize employee talent. When you show an employee that they are valued, you’ll be able to bring out their full potential.    The war for talent is real. It’s critical for leaders to establish a routine where expectations are clear, direct feedback is delivered real-time, and career development is actively supported.    How do you review your employees? And as an employee, how would you like to be reviewed?

Annual reviews are dead. Continuous feedback is the future. Traditional performance reviews are too slow, too vague, and too disconnected from day-to-day work. Companies that stick to outdated models risk disengagement, misalignment, and missed opportunities. Real-time feedback drives agility. Employees need immediate insights to course-correct and build on strengths. Waiting months for performance discussions means losing momentum and delaying growth. Companies that embrace continuous feedback create a culture of responsiveness and adaptability. Engagement skyrockets when feedback is ongoing. Employees who receive frequent, constructive input feel more valued and supported. This translates to stronger motivation, higher productivity, and greater job satisfaction. Annual reviews often feel punitive; continuous feedback fosters development. Alignment improves across teams and leadership. When feedback flows regularly, employees stay connected to company goals. Leaders can address performance gaps before they become major issues, ensuring teams stay on track and high performers receive the recognition they deserve. Retention benefits from a culture of real-time recognition. Employees leave when they feel unseen or unappreciated. A continuous feedback loop reinforces value, supports career growth, and reduces turnover. The transition isn’t just about HR—it’s a cultural transformation. Organizations must train managers to give meaningful feedback, integrate feedback tools into workflows, and shift mindsets from evaluation to development. This isn’t a trend; it’s a strategic necessity. Learn more at https://buff.ly/4i24NfX