Belief Inventory Research Guide

What does the research and evidence tell us about feedback? How does this influence our beliefs?

In the last post, I gave you a belief inventory for feedback because we know that beliefs drive action.

If you haven’t written it down, I’ll give you the time now to do that. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree

1. Regular, meaningful feedback directly influences the motivation and performance of my team members.

2. Employees who receive feedback weekly are significantly more engaged than those who do not.

3. The type and frequency of feedback I provide differ for various subgroups of employees (e.g., high performers, struggling staff, new hires), and this impacts their engagement and growth.

4. Frequent feedback is a critical factor in retaining top talent in my school.

5. Feedback that focuses on future performance is more effective in driving improvement than feedback focused on past mistakes.

6. Feedback loops are essential in identifying and developing emerging leaders within my staff.

7. An open culture of feedback fosters greater creativity and adaptability in my school.

8. The way feedback is delivered (e.g., in-person, written, or via multimedia) significantly impacts its effectiveness.

9. Qualitative feedback is more effective than quantitative metrics in motivating staff and improving performance.

10. My feedback practices are free of unconscious bias and ensure equitable growth opportunities for all staff members.

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Let’s take some time to analyze your results.

1. Performance:

"Regular, meaningful feedback directly influences the motivation and performance of my team members."

Evidence: Feedback accelerates performance. A Gallup study (2022) shows that employees who receive meaningful weekly feedback are 3.6 times more likely to agree they are motivated to do outstanding work (McLain, & Nelson, 2024). Research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology shows that employees who receive frequent, constructive feedback tend to perform 12.5% better than those who do not.

Feedback works.

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2. Engagement:

"Employees who receive feedback weekly are significantly more engaged than those who do not."

Evidence: Feedback is a key driver of employee engagement. Eighty percent of employees who receive weekly feedback are fully engaged, six times more engaged than those who do not receive regular feedback (McLain, & Nelson, 2024).

Feedback creates more engagement.

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3. Subgroups:

"The type and frequency of feedback I provide differ for various subgroups of employees (e.g., high performers, struggling staff, new hires), and this impacts their engagement and growth."

Evidence: Tailored feedback meets the unique developmental needs of subgroups. For example, high performers often benefit from feedback focused on innovation and leadership, while new hires may need frequent, supportive feedback to build confidence (Indeed, 2024).

Feedback doesn’t look the same for everyone.

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4. Retention:

"Frequent feedback is a critical factor in retaining top talent in my school."

Evidence: Leaders who foster a culture of feedback not only retain high performers but also minimize the disruptions caused by staff turnover. Consistent, constructive feedback drives employee engagement, a key factor in reducing attrition. Research shows that 64% of employees receiving timely feedback are more likely to stay with their organization (McLain & Nelson, 2024). Notably, companies like Adobe and Microsoft have implemented continuous feedback systems, leading to a 30% increase in retention rates and improved workplace morale (Diem, 2024).

Feedback helps retention; it doesn’t hurt it.

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5. Future Focus:

"Feedback that focuses on future performance is more effective in driving improvement than feedback focused on past mistakes."

Evidence: Teachers need actionable, forward-looking feedback that empowers them to improve. Feedback centered on future goals, rather than past errors, is more likely to motivate improvement and foster a growth mindset (Gnepp et al., 2020).

Feedback is not criticism.

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6. Career Growth:

"Feedback loops are essential in identifying and developing emerging leaders within my staff."

Evidence: Feedback is a pathway to leadership. By identifying strengths and providing growth opportunities, leaders can cultivate a pipeline of future school leaders, strengthening the system. Professionals engaging in feedback loops are 60% more likely to experience career advancement. 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their career development.

If you don’t give them feedback, you are holding them back.

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7. Innovation:

"An open culture of feedback fosters greater creativity and adaptability in my school."

Evidence: Creativity thrives in environments where feedback is valued. This translates to innovative teaching strategies, problem-solving approaches, and adaptability to school challenges. Organizations with open feedback cultures generate 20% more creative solutions than those without. Even in a high-fidelity culture in which teachers are expected to adhere to prescribed curriculums, feedback supports a teacher to be more adaptable to the needs of learners while meeting the curriculum objectives (Serravallo, 2024).

Feedback helps bridge expectations and reality.

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8. Feedback Medium:

"The way feedback is delivered (e.g., in-person, written, or via multimedia) significantly impacts its effectiveness."

Evidence: The delivery method of feedback matters. Leaders should consider what medium best suits the message and context, leveraging tools like video or digital platforms to complement in-person discussions. Person-mediated feedback is particularly effective at increasing motivation and task engagement (Giamas, 2023).

Talk to the people.

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9. Qualitative vs. Quantitative:

"Qualitative feedback is more effective than quantitative metrics in motivating staff and improving performance."

Evidence: Metrics are useful for tracking progress, but qualitative feedback strengthens relationships and provides the nuanced insights necessary for meaningful growth. Personalized and actionable, qualitative feedback often enhances engagement and motivation more effectively than numerical ratings (Giamas, 2023).

Interestingly, research supports this idea: Ninety-six percent of "irreplaceable" teachers reported valuing positive feedback from respected colleagues, with nearly 60 percent strongly agreeing—the highest positive response rate among all options. Respondents also highly valued positive feedback from school leaders (93 percent agreed or strongly agreed) and from students’ parents (92 percent). These findings highlight the critical role of meaningful, qualitative feedback in fostering motivation and recognition (TNTP, 2013).

Put down the rubrics. Talk to the people.

And give them feedback from LOTS of people - not just you.

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10. Bias in Feedback:

"My feedback practices are free of unconscious bias and ensure equitable growth opportunities for all staff members."

Evidence: Feedback practices must be scrutinized for implicit bias to ensure they are fair, inclusive, and foster growth for all staff, regardless of background or perceived ability. When bias seeps into feedback, it perpetuates inequities and denies certain employees, particularly those from underrepresented groups, critical opportunities for growth and advancement.

Research highlights striking disparities (Texito, 2024):

• Black employees receive 21% less feedback than their peers and are 2.4x more likely to get vague or non-actionable advice.

• Asian employees get 25% more feedback overall, but much of it is lower in quality, often failing to be specific or actionable.

• Women of color, particularly Black women, are disproportionately critiqued on personality traits rather than their work performance.

• Black men receive the least amount of feedback among all racial groups.

Notice your patterns. Fix it.

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Beliefs Drive Actions—What Do You Believe?

Take a moment to reflect:
To what extent do you believe in feedback? To what extent are you beliefs holding you back from making feedback effective?

Start small: Identify one limiting belief you hold about feedback and challenge it. Then, take one actionable step to align your leadership practices with the belief that feedback is a powerful tool for growth, engagement, and innovation.

Feedback isn’t just something you give—it’s something you believe in.