\ Information becomes valuable when we use it. We often hear the phrase, “Feedback is a gift.” I understand the intention. Feedback can be valuable. It can help us grow, improve, and see things we might otherwise miss. But I prefer a different way of thinking about it: Feedback is data. Data isn’t inherently good or bad. It’s information. It gives us something to examine, understand, and act on. That distinction matters. When someone tells us our communication wasn’t clear, a

The goal isn’t to evaluate — it’s to move forward I remember bringing home report cards as a kid. You’d look at the grades. Focus on what went well… and what didn’t. Maybe explain a few things. Then move on. That’s often how feedback still shows up at work. This time of year, a lot of teams are having performance conversations. Reviews get written. Ratings get assigned. Feedback gets delivered. And too often, it feels like a report card. A look back at what went well… and wha