Why I hate feedback: Anchoring effective feedback within organizations

More than ever, business practitioners perceive feedback as a vital tool for increasing sustainable business competitiveness; however, research on feedback shows mixed results in terms of its effectiveness. Three problems underlie the paradox of feedback. First, the word 'feedback' lacks definition. Both scholars and practitioners have different understandings of what feedback means. This lack of clarity hampers successful implementation of feedback as a corporate reflex. Second, feedback can be destructive. In fact, toxic feedback might disengage employees from their jobs. Third, giving and receiving feedback is more difficult than we sometimes like to think. The mantra “our organization has an open feedback culture” does not alone suffice to support effective feedback behavior. This Executive Digest addresses these issues and introduces the feedback ecosystem: a four-step process (receive, reflect, plan, act) bridging theory and practice to anchor effective feedback within organizations. In addition, evidence-based advice is offered on how to implement each step of the feedback ecosystem.