Fireside Chat #51: How to create a successful feedback culture

Ebunola Adenipekun

Ebunola Adenipekun

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At Codurance, our MDs Sandro Mancuso, Mashooq Badar and José Huerta regularly meet for informal chats after work. These discussions, where they share their personal insights, form the basis of our Fireside Chats, which you can find on our YouTube Channel.

How to create a successful feedback culture

In this particular chat, the team discusses "How to create a successful feedback culture and performance review system". They emphasise the importance of constructive feedback that helps individuals and teams grow, as well as ensuring that feedback is acted upon. A successful feedback culture is one where these behaviours are common and valued.

As we are nearing the end of the year, and thinking about the new year, it’s the season for salary and performance reviews as well. Generally companies' financial cycles are often at the end of the year too.

So how do you create a successful feedback culture?

Creating a culture of constructive feedback

The team shared that constructive feedback shouldn’t, of course, be confused with just venting or moaning. And José said: “So for me there is a component of really helping to grow the person. So you're not just saying things because you want to get it off your chest.”

Sandro was passionate about the fact that people should be willing to give constructive feedback as well as receive.

The trio asked the questions: What are the lessons that we want to take forward and not repeat some of the mistakes that we made this year? In order to look forward, you have to understand where you are. 

Psychological safety

They also joked about the first rule of feedback is that there should be no feedback on the feedback. They also discussed how it’s okay to ask for feedback and to give feedback independently of where you sit in their organisation or what kind of responsibilities you have and so on. Also, tailoring your feedback messaging, considering your employees' psychological safety, specific vs general feedback, and how companies should foster a culture of feedback were topics covered.