Every manager wants to lead well. To inspire trust. To build a strong team. To get results.
But effective leadership isn’t just about having a vision or hitting your numbers. It’s about what happens in the day-to-day—how you show up, communicate, and guide your people forward.
And one of the most powerful tools in your leadership toolbox? Feedback.
We recently asked our LinkedIn community:
Which manager skill makes the biggest impact but often gets overlooked?
Nearly half said the same thing: real-time, actionable feedback.
And honestly? We weren’t surprised.
If you want to develop your people, you can’t wait for a formal review to talk about performance. You’ve got to speak into it while it’s still fresh—while it still matters.
At Leadr, one of our core “behavioral norms” is no surprises. That might sound small, but it’s a radical departure from many workplaces, where it’s normal to bury the bad and promote the good. We believe trust is built on transparency, and as the saying goes, people move at the speed of trust.
The best managers don’t save feedback for later. They don’t let “I’ll tell them eventually” turn into “I never told them at all.” They make feedback a living, breathing part of how they lead—because it isn’t just about fixing. It’s about fueling growth.
You don’t need to schedule a 30-minute meeting. Sometimes the most meaningful feedback is a five-second sidebar:
“That’s the kind of ownership we need more of.”
“Hey, let’s tweak that approach next time.”
It’s not formal—but it’s formative.
Most managers default to one or the other. But your team needs both.
Celebrate what’s working so your people know what to repeat. Then call them into what’s next with a clear, encouraging challenge.
That’s how confidence and growth stay in sync.
Feedback isn’t a monologue—it’s a loop. And the more you model it, the more your team will engage with it.
Start with: “What feedback do you have for me?”
When feedback flows up, down, and across, everyone gets sharper.
Feedback shouldn’t just dissect what went wrong—it should point toward what’s next.
Replace blame with coaching. Instead of “Why did this happen?” ask, “What can we do differently next time?”
It keeps conversations productive, not personal—and helps your team build confidence, not fear.
Pick one person on your team. Give them one piece of feedback you’ve been holding onto—positive or constructive. Keep it specific. Keep it actionable. Keep it now.
Then ask: “What’s something I can do better as your manager?”
You don’t need a perfect script. Just the courage to show up.
If you want to build this kind of leadership muscle, that’s exactly what we’re doing inside Leadr Academy. We help managers turn core skills like feedback, 1:1s, goal setting, and recognition into second nature.
Join a sample session to see how we turn good managers into great leaders—one practical habit at a time.