From feedback to follow-through: What to do when nothing changes

You provided your feedback. You explained your point clearly, gave examples, maybe you even asked if it made sense. The other person nodded, agreed. And then... nothing changed. Sounds familiar?

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Feeling like your critical feedback doesn’t lead to the desired change is a frustrating experience. While it’s tempting to assume the other person “simply wasn’t open to it”, the breakdown often happens somewhere else: in clarity, timing, additional support, shared understanding or follow-through.

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This post is for anyone who has felt that gap between saying the thing and seeing a shift. We’ll explore why feedback sometimes doesn’t land – and what you, as a leader, can do differently when that happens.

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Why doesn’t feedback land?

Even well-intentioned, clearly delivered feedback can fall flat. Here are a few reasons why:

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It wasn’t fully understood. The recipient of your feedback may have misinterpreted what you said or was too overwhelmed to process it fully. Sometimes, especially in fast-paced or high-stakes conversations, we assume clarity where there’s actually confusion. Without confirmation of understanding, alignment slips.

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The impact wasn’t clear. If the "why it matters" is missing, feedback feels abstract. People are more likely to change their behaviour when they understand how it affects others, the team or the outcomes they care about. Grounding feedback in real consequences increases understanding and motivation.

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The timing wasn’t right. Feedback given during stress, conflict or without a heads-up can get filtered through emotion. Even helpful insights can feel like attacks if the moment isn’t right. Delivering feedback when someone is rushed, reactive or exhausted limits their capacity to absorb it.

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There was no clear action or next step. If the person you’re talking to doesn’t know what to do with the feedback, it often goes nowhere. Vague instructions like "be more proactive" or "communicate better" must be broken down into observable, doable steps – ideally within a clearly defined timeframe.

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The feedback recipient lacked the ability or tools. Sometimes it’s not mindset, but skill set – and that requires a different kind of support. If someone doesn’t know how to do what’s being asked, more feedback won’t help. Development, coaching or training might be needed to enable your team member to accomplish what you’re asking for. 

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The recipient didn’t feel safe. People are less likely to act on feedback if they fear negative consequences like being judged, excluded or punished. Trust and psychological safety are the foundation for real behaviour change. 

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There was no follow-up. Without reinforcing the message, checking in or circling back, feedback can fade into the background. A one-off conversation doesn’t create accountability; follow-through does.

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What to do differently when feedback falls flat

Effective feedback doesn’t end when you say it. It’s a loop: a process of clarity, alignment, action and reflection. If you feel your feedback isn’t landing, here are six tangible tips to re-engage and reset, including some helpful phrases:

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1. Ask the feedback recipient to paraphrase what they heard

“Just to ensure we are aligned: How do you interpret what I shared?” 

This simple step surfaces misunderstandings early. It creates space for clarification without blame and ensures that your intention matches their takeaway.

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2. Co-document agreements

Whenever you absolutely have to make sure that your feedback lands, summarise your conversations in writing – be it in a Slack message, your 1:1 notes or in our Feedback Conversations Templates. Leaving your conversation with all points in writing reduces ambiguity and gives both sides a reference point. This also reinforces accountability.

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3. Define what success looks like

“What does this look like in practice? What will be different (in the next project, interaction…)?”

When feedback remains abstract, it’s very hard to act on. Defining concrete examples makes the shift more achievable and can function as an indicator of being on track.

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4. Build check-ins into your rhythm

Schedule regular, extensive feedback conversations, but also revisit the feedback in your next 1:1:

“How has it been going since we last talked?”

This makes feedback an ongoing conversation and shared process, not a one-off evaluation that the recipient feels left alone with. If needed, you can also discuss any additional support that might be needed (e.g. trainings or more hands-on mentoring).

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5. Repeat in context

Reiterate your feedback right after relevant situations:

“This was a good example of what we talked about,” or “Here’s a moment we could apply this again.”

Repetition in context builds awareness and helps connect the dots between feedback and behaviour.

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6. Reflect on your feedback patterns as a leader

Are multiple team members not responding to your feedback? Is this a pattern? If your feedback often feels ignored, it’s worthwhile reflecting: Are you being too vague? Avoiding directness? Overloading the conversation? Your tone, timing or framing might be getting in the way of effective feedback.

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And if I do all that and still nothing changes?

Before you jump to conclusions about resistance or attitude, take a moment to revisit this question: What might be keeping your team member from doing good work in the first place?

This visual reminds us: underperformance is rarely about motivation alone. People might be unclear about what’s expected, lack the right skills, feel disengaged or face structural barriers. If your feedback hasn’t landed, consider whether it’s one of these root causes – and tailor your next step accordingly.

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Sometimes, even with clarity and follow-through, there’s still no shift. That might point to a deeper issue: a values misalignment, a lack of motivation or someone being in the wrong role. If you find yourself revisiting the same concerns repeatedly without change, it might signal the need to move from feedback conversations to a more structured performance management process.

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This could involve clearly documenting expectations, aligning on measurable outcomes and agreeing on a realistic timeline for improvement via a performance improvement plan. If progress still isn’t made, outlining potential next steps, such as role changes or formal consequences, ensures transparency. Structured performance improvement planning, when done with care, isn’t about punishment. It’s about creating mutual clarity and giving someone every opportunity to succeed, with a clear understanding of what comes next if things don’t change.

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Do you want to dive deeper into feedback?

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There are several ways in which we can support you:

• Become “great at feedback” with our Feedback Essentials Toolkit 
• Learn how to receive more upward feedback in our article with 7 tips to encourage honest conversations
• Receive constructive feedback from your team and co-design a way forward with one of our facilitated Leadership Feedback Sessions
• Train your whole team in giving and receiving feedback effectively – contact us to learn more about our feedback trainings

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