💦 The Art of Giving Feedback That Feeds, Not Floods.

If culture is the soil and vision is the light, then feedback is the water.

Done right, it’s nourishing. Encouraging. Vital to growth.

Done poorly? It drowns good ideas and erodes trust faster than a Slack notification.

As a creative leader, I’ve seen too many promising concepts wither under vague critique or ego-driven micromanagement. And I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that how you give feedback can make or break the entire ecosystem.

Here’s how I’ve learned to water my teams—and not flood them.

1. Feedback ≠ Personal Opinion

Too often, feedback gets tangled in personal taste:

“I just don’t like this color.”

“This doesn’t feel fresh to me.”

That’s not helpful. That’s editorializing. Instead, anchor your feedback to the objective. What is the goal of the work? Who is it for? What are we trying to communicate, evoke, or achieve?

✅ Helpful: “This layout supports the hierarchy, but the CTA gets lost. Can we explore ways to draw more attention there?”

❌ Unhelpful: “It just feels off.”

By focusing on what works and where it can go, you shift the energy from judgment to collaboration.

2. Be Additive, Not Destructive

Great feedback isn’t about pointing out flaws but unlocking potential. Use an additive approach: start with what’s working, then build from there. This creates momentum, not shutdown.

Instead of “This doesn’t work,” try:

• “This headline sets the tone really well—what if we gave the subhead more punch to match?”

• “This visual direction is interesting. Could we push it even further with [X]?”

This kind of feedback says: I see what you’re going for. Let’s evolve it together.

Not: Start over, you failed.

3. Let Some Ideas Bake

Not everything will make perfect sense at first glance—and that’s okay.

Sometimes an idea needs more time in the oven. The creative may have a vision they’re still shaping, or an instinct they can’t fully articulate yet. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong. It means it’s early.

As a leader, your job isn’t to prematurely cut what you don’t understand—it’s to create space for it to evolve. Ask clarifying questions. Request rationale. Encourage iteration.

I’ve often found that the weirdest, most “out there” ideas—given time and refinement—become the most memorable work we produce.

Give Like a Gardener, Not a Gatekeeper

The best creative feedback:

• Is grounded in strategy

• Highlights strengths before offering improvements

• Creates room for exploration, not just correction

In other words, it waters, not washes away.

Because when a creative feels supported, seen, and safe, their work doesn’t just meet the brief—it exceeds it.