A mentor once told me that, someone who taught me a lot about coaching, facilitation, and what it really means to be present and intentional in the room.
It’s one of those sentences that stays with you because it keeps proving itself true.

We all say we value feedback but too often it’s wrapped in niceties:

“That was great.”
“You did really well.”
“Loved it.”

Kind? Yes. Helpful? Not really.

Research from Harvard and Gallup shows that motivational feedback (clear, specific, and forward-looking) has a far greater impact on engagement than generic praise.

In one organisation I worked with, “good feedback” was everywhere.
The problem? Nobody actually knew what made something great so the learning stopped there.

Over time, those well-intentioned words became hollow.
Apathy crept in, silence followed, and the energy in meetings started to fade.

The shift is simple, but powerful:

When you give feedback, name the behaviour and the impact.

🟣 “When you paused before answering that question, it made your message clearer and more confident.”

Specifics turn words into action. They rebuild energy and trust, two things every team needs more of.

This is exactly what I mean by a small shift; one moment of awareness that can change how a conversation lands.
It’s also the S and H in the framework I’ve been developing around everyday communication habits that create real change. I’ll be sharing more about it soon.

💡 Hook:
Think of one meeting you’re in today; where could you make your feedback just a little more specific?

#Communication #Feedback #LearningAndDevelopment #TeamCulture #CoachingSkills #SmallShifts #TrustAtWork #HumanConnection