The 3 Biggest Mistakes When Giving Staff Feedback
Tue Feb 03 2026
Hello and welcome to Episode 309 of The People Powered Business Podcast.
In this episode, we are talking about something every leader has to do, but many quietly avoid: giving staff feedback.
Giving feedback isn’t just part of your job, it is the job. When it’s done well, it drives improvement, builds trust and shifts behaviour. When it’s done poorly, it creates confusion, defensiveness and disengagement. Today, we are unpacking the three biggest feedback mistakes I see business owners make and how to fix them.
First, we look at the problem of being too vague or making feedback personal. Comments like “you need to communicate better” or “you’ve got a bad attitude” don’t help anyone improve. Vague feedback confuses people and personal feedback puts them straight into defence mode. I walk you through how to use the SBI framework so feedback stays factual, fair and focused on behaviour, not personality. We also talk about the power of following feedback with curiosity and questions, rather than assumptions.
We also cover why delaying feedback until it becomes a bigger issue is damaging your team and your relationships. Waiting until you’re frustrated or until a formal review often means the moment for change has passed. Feedback works best when it’s timely and part of your everyday leadership rhythm.
Finally, we talk about the difference between telling and coaching. Real behaviour change doesn’t come from instructions alone. It comes from helping people reflect, understand the impact of their actions and build capability through coaching-style conversations.
An Invitation:
If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat
Links & Resources:
💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au
An Invitation:
If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.
Join Here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia
More
Hello and welcome to Episode 309 of The People Powered Business Podcast. In this episode, we are talking about something every leader has to do, but many quietly avoid: giving staff feedback. Giving feedback isn’t just part of your job, it is the job. When it’s done well, it drives improvement, builds trust and shifts behaviour. When it’s done poorly, it creates confusion, defensiveness and disengagement. Today, we are unpacking the three biggest feedback mistakes I see business owners make and how to fix them. First, we look at the problem of being too vague or making feedback personal. Comments like “you need to communicate better” or “you’ve got a bad attitude” don’t help anyone improve. Vague feedback confuses people and personal feedback puts them straight into defence mode. I walk you through how to use the SBI framework so feedback stays factual, fair and focused on behaviour, not personality. We also talk about the power of following feedback with curiosity and questions, rather than assumptions. We also cover why delaying feedback until it becomes a bigger issue is damaging your team and your relationships. Waiting until you’re frustrated or until a formal review often means the moment for change has passed. Feedback works best when it’s timely and part of your everyday leadership rhythm. Finally, we talk about the difference between telling and coaching. Real behaviour change doesn’t come from instructions alone. It comes from helping people reflect, understand the impact of their actions and build capability through coaching-style conversations. An Invitation: If you’d like to book a 15 minute clarity call with me, do that here: https://calendly.com/kristyleebillett/chat Links & Resources: 💬 DM Kristy-Lee on Instagram @kristy.lee.billett and let me know if you have questions about work from home entitlements or email me at hello@peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au An Invitation: If you’d like to connect with other businesses who are also juggling the challenges of teams, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, The People Powered Community, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having. Join Here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia