How Leaders Can Build Feedback Skills
During our November 2025 Learn@Work LIVE webinar on delivering difficult feedback, dozens of participants filled the chat with questions about how to give better feedback. The inquiries served as a powerful reminder that feedback remains one of the toughest leadership competencies in the criminal justice field.
>>> Visit our webinars page here to access the recording and accompanying handout. <<<
Even seasoned supervisors, probation officers, directors, and judges struggle with feedback. It’s common to feel concerned about getting it right. This work is human, and sometimes we are called upon to navigate complex dynamics.
The First Thing You Need to Know About Feedback
Feedback is essential for team functioning, professional growth, and organizational culture. Yet, leaders throughout the criminal justice field report feeling ill-equipped to give it. In other words, you are not alone.
We hear many people saying things like:
- How do I do this without hurting the working relationship?
- What if they’re defensive?
- What if they have more experience than I do and won’t hear what I have to say from the start?
Why Is Giving Feedback So Stressful?
The real issue stems from the expectations set in today’s workplace. People are promoted for competencies, not for mastering communication skills. There is no emphasis on emotional regulation, empathy, boundaries, or coaching language, which is why this competency is difficult to learn as a leader. You’re not taught.
- Leaders are promoted without communication training.
Skills rewarded ≠ skills required to supervise. - Feedback is emotionally complex.
Identity, ego, power dynamics, past relationships, trauma, and trust all influence it. - Culture often punishes vulnerability.
People fear conflict, backlash, looking inexperienced, or losing rapport. - Organizations treat feedback as a single skill instead of a competency stack.
Providing feedback well requires emotional regulation, self-awareness, a script and strategy, healthy boundaries, support, and coaching.
Failing to deliver necessary feedback prevents both leaders and teams from reaching their optimal potential. Without training or coaching, leaders may fall back on avoidance, micromanaging, or escalation. Giving and receiving feedback can be stressful because so few of us have learned how to do it well. The pervasive mindset that it is a negative experience doesn’t help either.
Above: a short clip of ACJI Coach Karen Alonge explains how withholding feedback is detrimental in our November 2025 Learn@Work LIVE webinar. View here on linkedin.
Common Questions About Giving Feedback in the Workplace
How do I give feedback to someone who typically reacts defensively?
It always starts with building a solid working relationship through regular one-on-ones, where feedback flows freely and in both directions. Within that rapport, you can provide feedback collaboratively, with humility and curiosity. Your goal is to transmit clear and helpful information to them.
After conducting the initial conversation, the responsibility transfers to them, and they can decide what to do with the information. This is not to say that their decisions won’t have consequences, only that you will have done your part by communicating the feedback. The choices they make in response will determine what happens next.
How do I give feedback upward to my own supervisor?
Start by providing context and asking permission: “I was able to hear a few things from the back of the room that I don’t think you could hear from the podium. Are you interested in hearing about it?” If not, stop there. If so, provide small pieces of information, then check in to see what they make of it and whether they want to hear more or not. Humility and curiosity are still your guideposts here.
Note: if you are a supervisor, take the initiative to create a collaborative culture where you invite their feedback regularly and receive it graciously.
Above: a short clip of ACJI Coach Karen Alonge speaking about humility in our November 2025 Learn@Work LIVE webinar. View here on linked.
How do I give feedback when the person is more seasoned than me?
This scenario has a lot in common with the question above. Ask if they would like to hear your perspective, and acknowledge that you may not be seeing the whole picture. Give neutral information, not suggestions. Allow them space to digest it in private and decide what they want to do with it. Keep an open mind; you may learn something new about them or the situation.
What do I do when staff complain, show negativity, or speak poorly about clients?
In the criminal justice field and other human-serving fields, the client refers to those whom we serve, be it those on parole, those in need of mental health resources, or other kinds of care.
Begin with a brief statement of empathy, followed by a quick calibration to the policy: “I definitely hear how upsetting this is for you. And before we discuss this further, let’s make sure we are staying in compliance with our ‘venting policy’ by moving to a private office where we can’t be overheard.” If there are no current policies about discussing clients, prioritize creating them. You can’t reference or enforce a policy until it exists.
Make sure you convey the distinction between the kind of venting that prevents burnout (in private, time-limited, infrequent, feelings-oriented rather than accusatory) and the kind that disparages others.
Specifically describe the parameters for venting. Clarify that remarks outside the set parameters will need to be addressed with their supervisor. It’s essential to provide legitimate pathways to access supervision and the help they need.
How do I give feedback when others report concerns to me, but want to stay anonymous?
When somebody shares a concern with you, do your best to put yourself in a position to observe it with your own eyes. Witnessing it personally allows you to corroborate your source’s accuracy and address the behavior authentically based on your personal experience.
If there’s a circumstance where you can’t witness it yourself, you can still address it. “It’s been brought to my attention that there may be an issue with XYZ. What can you tell me about that?”
Do not reveal your source. If the person you’re giving feedback to asks where the information came from, say something like, “That’s not what we are here to discuss. What I’m interested in is your perspective on this issue, and what might need to be done differently moving forward.”
Is clarity really kindness?
It depends on how you define kindness.
In the moment, clarity might be painful, especially when it’s blindsiding, and it can bring up lots of emotions. However, one can argue that it’s kindest to share feedback. Sharing feedback gives somebody the opportunity to make a change and to achieve their highest potential. Make sure you prepare what you’re going to say, and present it in a concise and neutral manner, without judgment.
Feedback Is a Relationship Practice
Giving feedback does not need to be a major or dreaded event. Opening the door for the straightforward flow of feedback in both directions represents a positive shift in a team’s culture. Scheduling one-on-one check-ins establishes a consistent time for teams to rely on and creates opportunities for transparency from leaders and team members.
Leaders who use motivational interviewing techniques (with word choice, voice, and autonomy) during their check-ins provide a quintessential environment for staff to feel comfortable expressing their needs. Overall, feedback becomes easier when it’s anticipated, ongoing, and part of the culture.
To Sum Up
Feedback is a skill. Anyone can strengthen it with the right guidance. ACJI offers coaching and courses, including the upcoming Feedback Intensive, to help leaders in the criminal/legal system understand the practice, not just the theories, and learn to navigate the emotional and relationship traps common in giving and receiving feedback.
ACJI's *New* Feedback Intensive
Build skills and receive tried and true scripts for delivering effective and sometimes difficult feedback. Meet other leaders and work through real-world challenges together.
