If you’re leading a team, or managing anyone, chances are you’ve struggled with giving feedback that truly sticks. Most leaders care about helping their people improve, but somewhere between intention and delivery, the message gets lost.
In an effort to be kind, we often soften feedback so much that it becomes unclear. People walk away unsure of what needs to change, and when that happens, accountability breaks down.
The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) helps companies solve this by using simple, practical tools that promote clarity, alignment, and strong execution. Whether or not you’re Running on EOS, the framework in this article will help you deliver feedback that drives real behavior change, without confusion, frustration, or mixed messages.
The True Cost of Unclear Feedback
When feedback lacks plainspoken direction, you’re not just failing to solve the immediate problem; you’re creating a culture where accountability becomes impossible. For companies Running on EOS, this might look like:
- Quarterly Conversations that lose their power
- Level 10 Meetings that become repetitive discussions of the same issues
- People missing their Rocks because they don’t truly understand what success looks like
As Brené Brown puts it: “To be clear is kind. To be unclear is unkind.” This isn’t just a nice sentiment. It’s essential for organizational health.
Related Reading: Giving Feedback: Speak Truth in Few Words
The What’s Working/What’s Not Working Framework
The solution is beautifully simple. Structure your feedback using two categories: What’s Working and What’s Not Working.
How NOT to Do It
“Mike, you’re such a valuable team member and we really appreciate your enthusiasm. I was wondering if maybe you might consider, when you have time of course, possibly looking into whether there might be ways to perhaps get your reports in a bit earlier? I mean, only if it works for your schedule. You’re doing great work, really.”
Mike has no idea he’s actually missing deadlines and causing downstream problems. He’ll continue the same behavior, and you’ll discuss this same issue in your next Quarterly Conversation.
How to Do It Right
“Mike, what’s working well is your thorough analysis. Your reports always include insights others miss. What’s not working is the timing. When reports come in two days late, the client team can’t incorporate your findings into their presentations. I need your reports by 5 PM on Fridays going forward. What support do you need to make that happen?”
Notice the difference? Mike understands exactly what needs to change and why it matters to the organization. He can now own this accountability and hit his targets.
For companies Running on EOS, this approach will strengthen your operating model:
- Quarterly Conversations are productive when feedback is unambiguous and actionable
- Level 10 Issues are resolved faster when everyone understands expectations
- Accountability Charts flow when people know what Right Seat performance looks like
- Rocks are completed when there is no confusion about deliverables and timelines
Stop Cushioning Your Feedback
When you master great feedback, you accelerate your team’s journey to organizational mastery. Your people will appreciate the honesty, your issues will get resolved faster, and your leadership will spend less time revisiting problems.
Stop cushioning your feedback so much that it bounces right off. Your people deserve transparency and your organization needs accountability. The magic happens when everyone understands exactly what’s expected, and that starts with how you deliver feedback.
Related Reading: How to Use Feedback to Build Trust & Accountability
Discover the EOS Academy
Strong feedback depends on strong leadership habits. When those habits aren’t built intentionally and reinforced consistently, even well-intended conversations can fall flat or fail to translate into action.
The EOS Academy helps leaders strengthen the behaviors that drive consistent execution. Through short, focused lessons, it reinforces ownership, better decision-making, and the ability to turn discussion into action without adding unnecessary complexity.
Designed for real-world managers and executives, the EOS Academy contains practical training that teams can apply immediately. Organizations use it to develop leadership capability at every level and support stronger execution across the business. If you’re looking for an easy way to reinforce effective behaviors, you can create a free account and explore the EOS Academy today.
