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Performance Feedback Strategies
Book

Performance Feedback Strategies

Driving Successful Behavior Change

ATD (Association for Talent Development), 2025 more...

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8

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Well-crafted feedback helps leaders to drive team member growth and performance. In this insightful guide, Sandra Mashihi and Kenneth Nowack provide a coaching model grounded in neuroscience and real-world leadership practice. They show how personalized, properly-delivered feedback can transform employee behavior, motivation, and engagement. Mashihi and Nowack’s practical tools and examples make the process of providing performance feedback feel less daunting and help leaders understand how to communicate in ways that build stronger, better-connected teams.

Summary

Feedback fosters growth and positive behavioral change.

Many people overestimate their skills compared to others. This overconfidence hinders growth and leadership development, particularly among less competent individuals. For example, when asked to rate their team-building skills relative to peers, leaders often place themselves above average, even when their performance suggests otherwise. Given that self-perception is unreliable, leaders must develop self-awareness by identifying their blind spots.

Feedback is a powerful tool for increasing self-awareness, but many underutilize feedback or misinterpret it. The gap between how you see yourself (identity) and others’ experience of you (reputation) can limit your performance and impede work relationships. When delivered thoughtfully, feedback helps align these two perspectives. Feedback works best when it illuminates blind spots in ways that encourage self-reflection and openness rather than defensiveness or dismissal.

Offer feedback that is clear, actionable, and timed appropriately. Most employees prefer corrective feedback over generic praise, especially when it’s forward-looking and tied to growth. Explaining...

About the Authors

Sandra Mashihi, PhD is an organizational psychologist and leadership coach. Kenneth Nowack, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and the co-founder and senior research officer of Envisia Learning. 


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