In the corporate environment, the theme feedback occupies a curious space, being widely debated, but rarely understood in its entirety; for some, it is a technique, for others, a tool, some see it as a skill and there are also those who consider it an organizational fiction. This plurality of perceptions shows that this return, although essential, is still a territory of ambiguities, and understanding its challenges and potentials is the first step to re-signify it as a true instrument of human and organizational development.
More than a punctual practice, it is a cultural construction that manifests itself not only in scheduled conversations, but in the way leaders and teams relate in daily life. When there is trust, clarity and active listening, this exchange becomes natural, almost invisible, but profoundly effective. When there is fear, noise or excessive hierarchy, it turns into a mechanical ritual, unable to generate genuine learning. Thus, before seeking techniques, it is necessary to understand the environment that sustains it, because this return between people is a direct reflection of culture.
According to the report “Performance Feedback Culture Drives Business Impact”, the i4cp, conducted with 234 organizations, including 57 publicly traded American companies, it identified that those in the top third in“ doubled their net profit margins, return on assets (ROA), return on investment (ROI), and return on equity (ROE), compared to those in the bottom third. Although the data reveal a potential positive impact, it is important to interpret them with caution. These numbers derive from specific cultural and sectoral contexts and do not mean that every organization will reap the same rewards just by implementing formal processes of this type of internal evaluation.
This caveat is essential because the value of this feedback is not in form, but in intention. The practice becomes potent when part of an empathic listening, oriented to growth, and not judgment. When it is used as a tool of control or correction, it loses strength and generates resistance. When it is offered as an invitation to reflection and mutual improvement, it transforms relationships and broadens collective consciousness. In this sense, the challenge is not just to speak, but to create space for dialogue that generates meaning.
Giving and receiving feedback requires emotional maturity, since people react not only to the content of what they hear, but to the tone, context and bond with those who speak. That is why this practice is not sustained without trust, and trust is built with coherence, presence and transparency. The leadership that hurts you conversations of consistent development is the same that welcomes vulnerability, recognizes limits and shares learning, and this coherence is what turns feedback into a gesture of care and not correction.
However, even with good intentions, the process can fail if there is no preparation, because the excess of immediacy in organizations often leads to superficial conversations, delivered without context or without clear purpose. In these cases, the impact is the opposite of what is desired: instead of promoting engagement, it generates defensiveness and wear. Structuring moments of this type of exchange requires method, but also sensitivity. It requires considering the right moment, the appropriate format and, especially, the meaning that the devolution will have for those who receive it.
At the same time, it is necessary to understand that feedback is a two-way street. Leaders have an important role, but teams also need to develop autonomy to request it, reflect on it and turn it into action. A culture of mature continuous learning is one in which everyone sees themselves as permanent learners, where error is understood as an opportunity for evolution and dialogue becomes a driver of collective growth.
Therefore, feedback goes beyond performance and is established not as a mere measurement tool, but as an instrument of relationship, because it depends on the courage to express, the humility to listen and the wisdom to transform learning into continuous improvement. Its true potential is revealed in the ability to humanize organizations, bring people together, make work more meaningful and build cultures where development is, in fact, a value lived in day to day.
*Joyce Romanelli is co-founder and managing partner of Fluxus, speaker, corporate educator and university professor. With more than 20 years of experience in management and leadership, she has worked in executive positions in the health area and moves through teaching in postgraduate courses and corporate education. At Fluxus, she leads programs that develop female leadership and promote organizational transformation, creating ways for more women to access and resignify the spaces of power.
