Why Teaching Managers to Give Feedback is Your Most Critical Investment in 2026

Every day, managers witness brilliant contributions, spot potential problems, and notice patterns that could transform team performance. And yet most are never trained on how to translate those observations into feedback conversations that motivate and develop their people. 

Skipping feedback is expensive. According to Gallup and Workhuman research, employees who receive meaningful recognition are 4x more likely to be engaged and 73% less likely to experience burnout. Without quality feedback, your workforce struggles in silence, performance stagnates, and top talent leaves.

The Real Pain Points When Managers Don't Give Quality Feedback

Unclear Expectations and Repeated Mistakes

When managers fail to redirect effectively, team members continue problematic behaviors because no one has clarified what success looks like. Projects get derailed, deadlines slip, and the same issues recur month after month.

Disengagement

Without feedback that acknowledges contributions as well as areas for improvement, employees lose motivation. When great work goes unnoticed, high performers stop going the extra mile. They might even become more susceptible to burnout because they're lacking a felt sense of growth and learning.

Missed Development Opportunities

Every day without quality feedback is a missed opportunity for growth. Employees can't develop skills they don't know need improvement or build on strengths they don't realize they have. Feedback provides critical information affirming what they should continue and what they should change. Without it, your team's potential remains untapped. 

Toxic Team Dynamics

When managers avoid difficult conversations, problems fester. The team member who dominates meetings continues unchecked. The contributor who misses deadlines keeps disrupting timelines. Other team members notice the lack of accountability and either lose respect for leadership or become overwhelmed when they are left to compensate for underperformers.

Increased Turnover Costs

Employees who receive meaningful recognition are 5x more likely to see a path to grow at their organization. Without effective feedback, your best people don't see that path. They leave, taking institutional knowledge and requiring costly replacements. 

What Managers Actually Need

Effective feedback isn't a formal event, it's a daily and weekly practice. Performance happens daily, so feedback should happen just as often. 

Managers need a framework they can use in real-time, the mindset shifts to overcome what stops them from having feedback conversations, and a forum to practice so they can grow in confidence. 

That’s why at Leadology we provide managers with a simple 5 step framework that helps them know exactly what to say to have productive conversations - whether reinforcing strengths or redirecting when things are off track. This framework transforms feedback from a dreaded confrontation into a collaborative conversation about growth.

Beyond the framework, managers need practical techniques they can implement immediately. Here are some of the feedback hacks we teach at Leadology:

• Behavior + Impact statements that help employees connect their actions to outcomes and have a felt sense of their contribution. 

• "I notice... and I wonder..." phrasing that demonstrates curiosity before problem-solving.

• Powerful open-ended questions that get employees more involved in finding solutions.

These techniques turn managers from directive bosses into collaborative coaches who multiply their team's capabilities.

What This Means for You

As the year comes to a close, we are entering the critical window when HR leaders are determining where to invest development dollars for next year. While many priorities compete for attention, manager feedback skills deliver immediate, measurable ROI across every team.

Employees who receive quality feedback are 44% more likely to be thriving in their overall lives. They stay longer, perform better, and create positive ripple effects throughout your culture. Teaching managers to give feedback isn't just a nice-to-have development program, it's the foundation that makes every other initiative work better.

Your Next Step

If your managers struggle to give timely, effective feedback (or avoid these conversations altogether) this is your year to change that trajectory. The cost of waiting is measured in disengagement, turnover, and unrealized potential.

Giving feedback is just one of the many communication skills managers will learn in Activate, Leadology’s signature manager training program. Book a call with our team to discuss how you can transform your manager effectiveness. We’ll help you build a business case that demonstrates clear ROI and design a program that fits your culture and operational realities.

Your employees are waiting for the feedback that will help them grow. Give your managers the skills to deliver it.