The way leaders provide feedback to employees can determine the level of team engagement and the company's results. When poorly conducted, feedback can generate insecurity, demotivation, and a decline in performance. Instead of functioning as an instrument for growth, traditional feedback — focused solely on pointing out mistakes — can become a factor of wear and tear.
For Alexandre Slivnik, a service excellence expert and vice president of the Brazilian Training and Development Association (ABTD), argues it is time to rethink this model and adopt a culture that values positive behaviors. He states that the most common practice — pointing out only what needs to be corrected — can, in fact, compromise team engagement and impact the company's results.
“The most effective feedback is that which amplifies what already works well. When a leader clearly recognizes positive behavior, they increase the likelihood of that behavior being repeated. This generates confidence and strengthens the team,” he reveals.
Slivnik advocates for an approach known as feedforward , which involves highlighting well-executed actions rather than focusing only on failures. In his view, recognizing good practices has a greater impact than isolated corrections. “It is important to observe successes more than errors. And, of course, this does not mean that what needs to be improved should not be pointed out. But when there is a balance — with a predominance of positive feedback — the employee feels more secure to listen to suggestions and grow from them,” he points out.
Positive reinforcement as a development strategy
A common example, according to the expert, is that of an employee who serves a customer well but, instead of receiving praise for their good performance, immediately hears a suggestion about what could have been done better. “This type of response reduces enthusiasm and devalues the effort. The ideal would be to highlight what went well — such as the way they communicated, their attentive demeanor, or the clarity of their explanation. When praise is specific and timely, it tends to be repeated,” he states.
Slivnik emphasizes that the goal is not to avoid corrective feedback, but to build an environment where recognition is the starting point. “When an employee constantly hears only what needs to be corrected, the tendency is for them to withdraw. But if positive feedback is more frequent, they will better absorb any suggestions for improvement,” he says.
Fostering confidence and a culture of recognition
Data from a survey conducted by Gallup indicate that employees who receive frequent recognition are twice as likely to describe their team as excellent and up to three times more engaged at work. The same research shows that leaders who provide regular and positive feedback contribute to an increase of up to 24% in company profitability.
For Slivnik, the secret lies in observing and reinforcing attitudes that deserve to be valued. This creates a virtuous cycle: positive behaviors become a reference, and feedback ceases to be a risk and becomes a powerful development tool. “When leadership uses feedback with awareness, empathy, and strategy, it transforms the company's atmosphere. Delight begins internally, with the team being recognized for what they do best,” he concludes.
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