Your startup team needs feedback to grow. How can you deliver it effectively?

To deliver effective feedback to your startup team, be specific by addressing particular behaviors rather than general traits. Frame your feedback constructively, offering actionable advice for improvement. Provide feedback promptly after the event so it's relevant. Balance your approach by starting with positives, then addressing areas for improvement, and ending with encouragement. Encourage a two-way dialogue, allowing team members to share their perspectives and challenges. Finally, follow up to assess progress and provide further guidance if necessary. This approach ensures feedback is clear, actionable, and supportive, helping your team grow and improve effectively.

Giving feedback is essential for your #startup team's growth, but it can be tricky to deliver effectively. ?? At #Defentux, we've found that: Focusing on specific behaviors & impact works best ?? Balancing positive reinforcement with constructive critique is key ?? Making it a two-way dialogue invites the team's insights ?? Timeliness is critical - give feedback while the event is fresh ??? Consistency builds a culture of continuous improvement ?? By sharing targeted, balanced feedback regularly, you empower your team to level up their skills and performance. ?? How do you approach giving feedback in your startup? #Leadership #PeopleManagement #ContinuousImprovement

Dear Founders, To deliver effective feedback to your startup team, create a culture of continuous improvement. Use the Start, Stop, Continue method: ask team members what they should start, stop, and continue doing. Schedule regular, informal check-ins to foster open communication. Utilize AI-driven tools to gather anonymous feedback, ensuring honesty. Balance praise with constructive criticism, focusing on specific behaviors and outcomes. Encourage a two-way dialogue, allowing team members to voice their thoughts. Follow up on feedback to show commitment to growth and improvement. This approach builds trust and drives innovation. Regards, Cyriac Meppuram

One method I use to develop trust is to have regular team meetings. Not just one - one but also "team meetings" where we have fun, talk about each other, praise each other's works etc. This direct interaction opportunity that the team gets to interact with the leadership enables building trust. As a leader, I also communicate transparently to my team about challenges, issues and struggles that I am facing. Being vulnerable also creates trust.

Sempre procuro garantir que o ambiente esteja baseado em confian?a antes de dar qualquer tipo de feedback. Isso faz toda a diferen?a para que a equipe enxergue o feedback como algo construtivo. Além disso, mantenho as conversas abertas, ouvindo ativamente o que cada um tem a dizer, para que o processo seja colaborativo e focado no crescimento de todos.

Aprendi que dar feedback no momento certo faz toda a diferen?a. Procuro sempre abordar logo após o evento, quando tudo ainda está fresco, mas também observo o clima. Se a pessoa estiver muito estressada ou sobrecarregada, prefiro esperar até que ambos possamos ter uma conversa tranquila e produtiva. Isso ajuda a garantir que o feedback seja realmente absorvido e útil.

The timing of feedback is as critical as its content. I suggest that timely feedback, given while the situation is still fresh, provides the clearest context and most actionable insights. Delivering feedback soon after an event allows your team member to connect the dots between their actions and outcomes, making it easier to implement changes effectively. However, it’s equally important to be aware of the emotional landscape. Giving feedback during a high-stress moment can often lead to defensiveness, shutting down any chance of meaningful conversation. Instead, choose a time when both parties are calm and open to dialogue.

You want to give feedback when it’s fresh—right after the event when everything is still clear. But be smart about it. If someone’s stressed or overwhelmed, it’s better to wait. Feedback is most useful when both of you are calm and ready to have a real conversation. The goal is to create a productive space where feedback actually sticks, not a rushed, tense moment.

Nobody likes vague feedback, and it doesn’t help anyone grow. Instead of saying something like, "You need to communicate better," dig deeper. For example, you could say, "In the last meeting, giving more context about your analysis would’ve helped the team understand your point better." Clear examples show exactly what needs improving and why it matters.

Quando vou dar feedback, sempre me esfor?o para ser o mais específico possível. Ao invés de dizer algo genérico como "melhore sua comunica??o", procuro trazer exemplos concretos. Recentemente, comentei que, em uma reuni?o, fornecer mais contexto sobre uma análise teria ajudado o time a entender melhor a perspectiva. Esse tipo de detalhe torna mais claro o que pode ser ajustado e como isso impacta o trabalho coletivo.

Vague feedback often leaves employees uncertain about what needs to change, leading to stagnation rather than growth. I can't stress enough the importance of being specific when offering constructive criticism. Instead of offering broad statements like "You need to be more proactive," zoom in on the behavior or result you're addressing. For instance, rather than saying "You need to improve your communication," a more impactful approach would be, "During yesterday's client call, clarifying how our solution specifically addresses their pain points could have made the presentation more persuasive."

How important this is! Sometimes as a leader I get "judged" as "over-explaining" but I think being specific helps in getting things done in a timely and effective manner. Otherwise, we end up wasting a lot of time in going back and forth. So,as a leader, its important we are being specific with our requirements. Having said that, it shouldn't lead to a lack of creative thinking from their side. So, being specific about the expected outcomes and leaving the "how" to the concerned team member will be the right way.

Quando dou feedback, sempre busco equilibrar o que precisa ser melhorado com o que já está funcionando bem. Recentemente, elogiei um relatório detalhado e sugeri que a inclus?o de elementos visuais poderia torná-lo ainda mais impactante. Acho que esse tipo de abordagem, que reconhece os acertos enquanto aponta melhorias, mantém a motiva??o da equipe e promove um ambiente de crescimento contínuo.

The value of positive feedback cannot be underestimated. Emphasize that recognition is a key driver of engagement and productivity. When you highlight your team’s strengths alongside constructive suggestions, you create a culture where growth and achievement go hand in hand. A balanced approach ensures that your feedback motivates, rather than discourages. Instead of just pointing out what could be better, acknowledge the good work being done. For instance, you might say, “Your client presentation was well-structured and persuasive; adding a few more case studies could make it even more compelling.” By pairing praise with a clear pathway for improvement, you reinforce positive behaviors while fostering a mindset of continuous development.

It’s easy to focus on what’s wrong, but don’t forget to highlight what’s going well. People need to hear about their strengths too. For instance, if someone did a great job on a report, tell them that before suggesting ways to make it even better. Balancing positives with areas for growth keeps morale high and shows you recognize their effort.

Make feedback a two-way conversation, where both parties engage and learn from the exchange. When you invite your team members to share their thoughts and insights, you not only gain a clearer understanding of their perspective but also create an environment of trust and collaboration. By asking open-ended questions like, "How do you feel about the direction of this project?" or "What additional support do you think would help in overcoming these challenges?" you encourage reflection and participation. This approach ensures that feedback sessions become a space for mutual growth, where both leader and team member contribute to problem-solving and collectively improve performance.

Nas minhas experiências, sempre busco transformar o feedback em uma conversa aberta. Gosto de fazer perguntas que estimulem a equipe a refletir e compartilhar suas dificuldades, como "Como você se sente sobre o andamento deste projeto?" ou "O que você acha que pode melhorar daqui para frente?". Esse tipo de abordagem colaborativa cria um espa?o para encontrar solu??es juntos, o que faz com que o feedback seja muito mais construtivo e útil para todos.

Deliver feedback effectively to your startup team by being clear, specific, and constructive, focusing on actionable points with relevant examples. Ensure the feedback is delivered in a supportive and respectful manner, ideally in a private setting. Create a culture of continuous feedback and open communication by encouraging dialogue, inviting questions, and offering positive reinforcement. Ensure feedback is timely and relevant, and regularly follow up to track progress and address any concerns. #ahmedalaali11

As a startup leader, its important that we follow through on the feedback actions taken by the team. Giving tough feedback will be difficult - for both giver and receiver. But creating process to follow through will make it easier. Also offering help and support where needed. For eg: In my startup, we had to ask a set of team members to upskill their role to something different especially after AI came in. Now, this was difficult for most people as the change was drastic. As a leader, I conducted few trainings, helped them clarify the necessity for the change and then also set up peer learning teams to help the change. I also reviewed the weekly progress along with corrections wherever. The team gained confidence in this manner.