Poorly applied feedback can sabotage teams rather than strengthen them

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 attrition.

For Alexandre Slivnik, a service excellence expert and vice president of the Brazilian Association for Training and Development (ABTD), 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 a positive behavior, they increase the chances of that behavior being repeated. This generates trust and strengthens the team," he reveals.

Slivnik advocates for an approach known as feedforward , which consists of highlighting well-executed actions instead of focusing only on failures. For him, 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 one should not point out what needs to be improved. But when there is a balance—with a predominance of positive returns—the employee feels more secure to listen to suggestions and grow with 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 they could have done better. "This type of response reduces enthusiasm and devalues the effort. The ideal would be to highlight what went right—such as the way of communicating, the attentive look, or the clarity of the 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 they need to correct, the tendency is for them to withdraw. But, if positive feedback is more frequent, they will better absorb any improvement suggestions," he says.

Fostering trust 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 are 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. Enchantment begins internally, with the team being recognized for what they do best," he concludes.