Engage Your Employees with Conversational Feedback

Cathie Leimbach • February 21, 2023

Conversational feedback is very effective at improving employee engagement. Yet, leaders often give their employees too little helpful feedback. When we rarely catch our team members doing things right and acknowledge their positive contributions, they aren’t sure if they are meeting expectations. And, when we don’t let them know what we wish them to do differently, how are they to realize improvement is required?


Even when we provide feedback, we not be encouraging them to repeat positive behaviors and to work towards improving their performance in weaker areas. Managers may tell employees they did a good job assisting customer Jones but if the feedback isn’t specific the employee doesn’t know which aspects of their customer interaction should be repeated and may not realize the positive impact of quality customer service. On the other hand, when employees don’t meet our expectations, if they don’t realize there is a need for improvement and don’t ‘hear’ and internalize our suggestions for improvement, they likely won’t become reliable high performers.


We are seven times as likely to remember something we say than something we just heard. Also, we have to hear, see, or say information several times before we will act on it. Therefore, when leaders and their employees have conversations about the team member’s performance, good performance gets repeated and areas that need improvement get addressed.


Let’s explore what conversational feedback looks like. Positive feedback has the most impact when it is shared in a live conversation. In-person is ideal with a video call or phone call being next best. The leader’s tone and body language tell the employee if their manager is simply going through the motions of showing appreciation or if her thank you is authentic. Only heart-felt thanks spurs an employee to make a habit of doing quality work. The most effective positive feedback is expressed promptly after the good work is noticed, names the specific behavior that is appreciated, and shares the impact of the employee’s action.


Highly effective corrective action involves two-way collaborative conversation. The manager briefly and calmly states the action or behavior that failed to meet expectations. Then he asks the employee questions to encourage self-realization about what caused the unfavorable situation and the impact this has on the people involved and on the organization. The employee is asked to suggest ways to correct the situation and is provided the support needed to improve performance. When the manager and the employee develop corrective action plans together the employee has a better understanding of what is expected and is usually more motivated to address the challenge at hand.


When employees feel that their good performance is valued and receive support to overcome their challenges, they become more engaged, increasing their satisfaction and the company’s success. Conversational feedback is the foundation of win/win/win workplace experiences, increasing employee morale, customer satisfaction, and company results. 


What can you do this month to develop your conversational feedback skills? You may be interested in enhancing your leadership skills through Conversational Management™.   

How Managers Drive 70% of Performance

By Cathie Leimbach • February 17, 2026
Most CEOs focus on strategy, systems, and talent. But the biggest driver of performance is already in place: managers. Manager behavior influences about 70% of team engagement and results. What happens in everyday conversations matters more than perks, pay, or policies. Managers either multiply energy or drain it. Clear, supportive managers raise performance. Avoiding, inconsistent managers quietly lower it. The good news? Small habits make a big difference: Clarifying expectations Giving timely feedback Addressing issues early Reinforcing priorities These moments add up. Instead of telling managers to “motivate people,” try asking: Where might expectations be unclear? Where is inconsistency allowed? What conversation is being avoided? When managers improve just a little, results improve a lot. 👉 Join our 60-minute Leadership Conversation to explore how everyday manager habits quietly shape engagement and results.

Why Engagement Isn’t About Perks

By Cathie Leimbach • February 10, 2026
When engagement drops, many organizations reach for perks—rewards, programs, or incentives. These can create a short lift, but they rarely solve the real issue. Engagement starts with expectations. Most people want to do good work. What gets in the way isn’t motivation—it’s uncertainty. When priorities shift, roles feel unclear, or success means different things to different leaders, people disengage quietly. Leaders often don’t realize they’re contributing to this. Vague direction, inconsistent follow-through, or assuming “they already know” leaves teams guessing. Over time, guessing turns into frustration—and frustration turns into disengagement. Strong engagement cultures focus on leadership basics: Clear priorities Shared definitions of success Aligned expectations Consistent reinforcement When expectations are clear, people move with confidence. They take ownership, collaborate better, and stay engaged because they know where they’re headed. Perks can support engagement—but only after clarity is in place. 👉 Read our full article on Why Engagement Starts With Expectations to turn clarity into a real advantage.