“Feedback is a gift.” It’s a phrase I’ve used more times than I care to admit, and yes, I know it sometimes earns me a few eye rolls around the office. Another favourite of mine is “A rising tide raises all ships”. I’m fairly confident that one gets even more groans. But as overused as they may be, these sayings stick around for a reason: they reflect the values at Carrington West that help us grow, both personally and professionally.

At Carrington West, feedback isn’t just something we do once a year during appraisals or when something goes wrong. It’s embedded in our culture. We use it to drive improvement at every level from individual development to team collaboration to strategic decision-making across the business. It’s how we stay agile, responsive, and focused on doing better each day.

That said, like any gift, it’s only appreciated if it’s offered at the right time, in the right way, and for the right reasons. Otherwise, it can feel less like a gift and more like an obligation, or worse, a criticism wrapped in nice language.

There are some fundamentals that make feedback effective. The first is trust. If people don’t trust your intent, it doesn’t matter how carefully you phrase your feedback it won’t land well. People need to believe that it’s coming from a good place, with the genuine aim of helping them succeed or improve. Without that, feedback can quickly start to feel personal, even when it isn’t meant to be.

It’s also essential to separate the person from the behaviour. Feedback should never feel like a judgement on who someone is. It should focus on what they’ve done what the impact was and then how it could be better next time. We all make mistakes or miss the mark now and again, but creating a safe space where people feel comfortable talking about those things is key to a culture of continuous improvement.

Just as important is being willing to receive feedback yourself. In fact, actively seeking it out and demonstrating vulnerability can be one of the most powerful ways to show leadership. Whether it’s from your team, clients, candidates, or colleagues in other departments, feedback offers insight you might otherwise miss. And if you’re not asking for it, chances are you’re not getting the full picture.

But even when you’ve created the right environment and people are comfortable giving and receiving feedback, there’s one final piece that makes the difference: closing the loop. Feedback has no value if it’s ignored. If someone takes the time to offer constructive input, they should be able to see how it’s been acted on. That might mean making changes, or it might mean explaining why something can’t be changed. Either way, it shows you’re listening and taking it seriously.

Ultimately, feedback helps us get better at what we do, and how we do it. It keeps us moving forward, both as individuals and as a business. It won’t always be comfortable, and it doesn’t always need to be formal, but it does need to be honest, timely, and well-intentioned.

So yes, feedback is a gift most of the time. The rest of the time? Well, maybe it’s more like socks at Christmas. Still useful. Still appreciated. Maybe just not the thing you were hoping for in the moment.