When things are going well on your team, it’s tempting to let feedback habits run on autopilot. Deals are closing, morale feels high, meetings seem productive. You may look around and think, “Why mess with something that’s working?”
But here’s the truth: the best time to revisit your feedback motions isn’t when something breaks—it’s when things are going well. Feedback systems aren’t just emergency tools; they’re maintenance checks that keep your team sharp, aligned, and ready for the challenges you don’t see coming.
Think about it like a car. You don’t wait until the engine fails to get a tune-up. You check under the hood regularly, even if the drive feels smooth. Feedback works the same way. If you’re not inspecting it, you’re assuming everything is fine. And assumptions are where misalignment starts to creep in.
Here’s the kicker: revisiting feedback motions doesn’t mean things have to change. Sometimes, you’ll find that your processes are solid and no updates are needed. Other times, you’ll discover small tweaks that save you from bigger problems down the road. Either way, the act of asking is what matters.
Here are three actionable ways managers can revisit their feedback motions—even when things seem great:
1. Audit Your Feedback Cadence
Ask yourself: When’s the last time I looked at how, when, and where feedback is happening? If the answer is “months ago,” it’s time to review.
What to do:
- Map out your current feedback touchpoints: 1:1s, team meetings, post-call reviews, etc.
- Check for gaps: Are you relying too heavily on formal sessions and missing opportunities for in-the-moment feedback?
- Ask your team directly: “Do you feel like you’re getting feedback at the right times, or are there moments we’re missing?”
This isn’t about overhauling the system—it’s about making sure the cadence still serves your team today, not just six months ago.
2. Re-Examine Feedback Quality
Quantity of feedback is one thing. Quality is another. High-performing teams thrive on feedback that’s specific, actionable, and tied to outcomes—not vague encouragement or criticism.
What to do:
- Review your recent feedback notes or conversations. Are they outcome-focused? Or do they sound more like “good job” and “try harder”?
- Share your feedback framework with the team. For example: “I want to make sure all feedback connects to either skill development, deal strategy, or collaboration.”
- Invite upward feedback: “When I give you feedback, is it helping you move forward? If not, what would make it more useful?”
Even strong teams plateau if the quality of feedback doesn’t evolve with their goals.
3. Create a Feedback “Pulse Check”
Instead of assuming the system works, put a simple mechanism in place to measure how it feels to your team. This doesn’t need to be a 20-question survey—it can be a lightweight pulse check.
What to do:
- At the end of a month or quarter, ask 2–3 targeted questions like:
- Do you feel you’re getting enough feedback to improve in your role?
- Is our feedback timely, or does it come too late?
- What’s one change you’d make to how we share feedback as a team?
- Keep the data visible. Track responses over time to see if satisfaction trends up or down.
- Close the loop by sharing back what you learned—and what you’ll do with it.
The bottom line: Revisiting your feedback motions isn’t a sign that something’s broken. It’s a sign that you’re proactive, intentional, and committed to keeping your team sharp.
And here’s where Carefrontation comes in: creating a culture where feedback flows freely requires a safe space. If you don’t have that foundation, people won’t share what’s really on their minds. They’ll nod along in meetings and keep quiet about the roadblocks that matter most.
So even if things feel great, take the time to ask, to listen, and to fine-tune. You don’t always need to change—but you do need to check. And those small moments of curiosity are often the difference between a team that’s “doing fine” and a team that consistently outperforms.
