Unlocking your company’s potential: what if feedback culture was the key?

This article is based on an interview with Claudia Braun, a partner at Return on Meaning.

Claudia is an expert in culture and change management, leadership, and mindfulness. With a background at McKinsey & Company, she has guided numerous organizations through transformation, helping them find the “sweet spot” where meaningful work benefits both the employee and the company. Her passion lies in cultivating feedback cultures that support individual and collective growth.

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Why is feedback important, and why are you passionate about feedback culture?

Feedback has a crucial impact on three levels:

Organizational level: In a world of rapid change, companies need to continually learn and adapt. Feedback is a key ingredient in staying relevant.
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Team level: Effective teamwork depends on open communication. Teams need to share experiences and help each other overcome challenges.
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Individual level: People are intrinsically motivated to grow. Feedback fosters this growth, creating a more motivated and fulfilled workforce.

Feedback culture drives motivation and happiness, helping people feel valued and empowered in their roles.

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How can a company begin building a feedback culture?

There are four essential elements needed to create a lasting feedback culture. Each one must work together; if one is missing, change won’t stick. These elements are:

Skills – Empowering people to give and receive meaningful feedback.

Willingness – Building buy-in from employees and leadership.

Mechanisms – Establishing tools and structures to ensure feedback happens regularly.

Role models – Creating examples of feedback in action.

Companies should assess their position in each of these areas and develop strategies tailored to their unique culture. For example, if your team has the skills but struggles with consistency, introduce mechanisms like regular feedback sessions or digital tools to make feedback a habit. Conversely, if there’s enthusiasm for feedback but a lack of skills, focus on training and development.

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What are some strategies you use to foster these elements?

In our consultancy work and in Leapsome’s Feedback Masterclass, we share practical approaches to strengthen each of these four elements. Here are some examples:

For skills: Training sessions are helpful, but ongoing support from a coach or internal expert can make a big difference. You might have someone give feedback on the feedback others are providing, which reinforces learning.

For willingness: Positive, firsthand experiences with feedback are invaluable. Exercises where employees share what they appreciate about one another can help build emotional buy-in.

For mechanisms: Both digital and offline methods are effective. Use tools to automate feedback reminders, and encourage teams to share feedback on achievements and learnings during weekly meetings.

For role models: Top management is essential, but “lighthouses” throughout the company play an equally important role. Identify team members who are naturally skilled at feedback, and encourage them to model these behaviors for others.

What common challenges do companies face in building a feedback culture?

Two main challenges come up frequently:

Role modeling: Executives and managers must invest in developing feedback skills and consistently model feedback behaviors. Without strong role models, it’s hard for a feedback culture to take root.

Sustainability: Initial enthusiasm often fades as people get busy with other tasks. To sustain a feedback culture, companies need formal mechanisms and processes that ensure feedback becomes a continuous, long-term habit.

How can companies ensure feedback culture takes root in the long term?

Feedback culture is a process, not a one-time initiative. Having a dedicated feedback tool can help keep it going by:

Supporting continuous learning: Feedback is a skill that takes time to master. A tool can facilitate ongoing practice and support.

Building habits: Like any new habit, feedback needs regular reinforcement. A tool can send reminders, automate feedback processes, and integrate feedback into daily work.

Centralizing feedback: A tool that stores feedback in one place makes it easy for employees to track their progress over time, giving them a clear sense of development.

When starting out, what should companies focus on first?

Start with a hands-on, positive experience. This doesn’t have to be a formal training; a simple exercise at an all-hands or team meeting can make a big impact. For instance, try an exercise where employees have one minute to tell a colleague what they appreciate about them and one thing they’d like to see more of. These experiences help people understand the positive impact feedback can have.

How should HR respond if executives are skeptical about investing in feedback tools or training?

Feedback isn’t just a feel-good initiative; it’s backed by research showing a direct impact on employee motivation and performance. I would ask executives, “What kind of company do you want to create? One where employees feel motivated, valued, and empowered to make an impact?” If the answer is yes, then investing in feedback culture is essential.

What advice do you have for teams with limited experience in building a feedback culture?

“Train the trainer” is a great approach. Invest in training for a single team, like HR or People and Culture, or top management. Let them lead by example, giving company-wide trainings and supporting other teams with feedback guidance. It’s also essential to ensure the overall company culture is healthy before introducing open feedback practices.

What’s the most important takeaway for companies considering a feedback culture?

If you’re going to focus on one cultural element, focus on feedback. It’s the foundation of a self-optimizing organization. Once a feedback culture is in place, it supports all other growth and performance goals.

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