Feedback in Global Teams: Drive Performance Across Cultures
- Talaera Writer
- Jun 30
- 5 min read
How 4 CEOs Approach Feedback in Culturally Diverse Teams
Meaningful feedback is a powerful catalyst for performance. It can spark growth, build trust, and align teams toward common goals. But in a global workplace, there’s a catch: what works in one culture might fall flat, or even backfire, in another.
With mid-year reviews around the corner, the need to get this right is more urgent than ever. How do you build systems that address areas for improvement and celebrate strengths in a way that resonates across borders?
To answer this, we hosted a panel of seasoned people experts and CEOs: Meredith Haberfeld (Co-founder & CEO, ThinkHuman), Mel MacMahon (Co-founder & CEO, Talaera), Monique McDonough (CEO, WorkTango), and Erin Mulligan Helgren (CEO, OfficeSpace).
Here are their expert strategies to turn feedback from a dreaded checkbox into a true catalyst for personal growth and organizational success. You can also access the event recording here.
Defining Feedback, Recognition, and Growth
Not all feedback is created equal. The first step to driving performance is understanding the distinct roles that different types of communication play. The panel broke it down with a few powerful analogies.
Think of feedback as a GPS. It’s a diagnostic tool to help your team get from Point A to Point B faster and more efficiently. Before GPS, you’d get lost. Today, everybody gets to places faster. Strategic feedback has the same effect on an organization’s goals.
If feedback is the journey, then recognition is the celebration when you arrive. Recognition is the positive reinforcement of success. But it’s crucial to distinguish between backward-looking feedback (“You did a great job on that presentation”) and forward-looking, growth-oriented feedback (“To get that promotion to Director, here are the skills you should focus on developing”). It's this forward-looking guidance that managers often struggle with, yet it’s what truly unlocks potential.
Want to master these conversations? Our From Feedback to Impact Toolkit includes a 3-step framework with useful phrases to structure forward-looking, growth-oriented feedback that works across cultures.
The Platinum Rule: Cross-cultural Feedback in Global Teams
"Treat others as they want to be treated."
The central theme of the discussion was moving beyond the Golden Rule ("Treat others as you want to be treated") to the Platinum Rule: "Treat others as they want to be treated." This is non-negotiable in a global team.
Mel MacMahon shared a powerful example: public recognition that is celebrated in the US can cause genuine embarrassment for an employee in Japan or Scandinavia. Singling out an individual in a collectivist culture can backfire, damaging the very trust you hope to build.
The nuances go even deeper. In some cultures, feedback is highly indirect. Japanese people have a hundred different ways to say no to you, and not one of them involves the word ‘no’. A lack of follow-up or a subtle change in tone can be the feedback, and it’s on the leader to learn to “read the air.”
Actionable Advice for Global Leaders:
Do your homework: Find out how feedback varies across cultures and understand if you're working with high-context or low-context cultures.
Just ask: Have a direct conversation with team members about how they prefer to receive feedback and recognition.
Use your tools: Use modern tools to get a primer on cultural norms before a critical conversation, a practice he calls "augmented leadership."
Consult with an expert: If you're unsure, check in with someone who understands the cultural context. Even a brief conversation with a Talaera expert can help you identify blind spots and adapt your approach in a way that builds trust.
Navigating these cultural nuances is a skill. Our free toolkit is your global feedback compass, designed to help managers build trust and make feedback work in culturally diverse teams. Download it here.
Finding the Right Process for Performance Reviews
The world of HR has seen a dramatic pendulum swing. For years, rigid annual reviews (sometimes with forced rankings) were the norm. Then, a backlash led many organizations to ditch formal reviews for unstructured "continuous conversations."
The panel agreed that the pendulum swung too far. In the absence of structure, tough, constructive conversations were often avoided. “In exit interviews, we’d hear from people that they learned so much, but there was nothing left for them to learn,” said Erin. “Everybody has something left to learn.” A lack of honest feedback is a disservice.
Today, the pendulum is settling in a healthier middle ground that combines continuous feedback with structured, documented events.
This addresses two key controversies:
Ratings: While numbers can be fraught with bias, the panel agreed that some form of calibration is essential for fairness and clarity. Using descriptive language (“consistently exceeds expectations,” “strong contributor”) can be more effective than a sterile number.
The Compensation Link: The experts were unanimous –separating performance and compensation conversations feels disingenuous. As Monique stated, “Compensation is based off of performance and potential.” While the conversations might happen a day or two apart to allow the feedback to sink in, they must be clearly connected.
The takeaway? Structure and documentation aren’t just bureaucracy; they are in service of the employee, ensuring clarity, accountability, and fairness.
From Feedback to Action: Fostering Employee-Owned Development
Delivering feedback is only half the battle. The ultimate goal is to empower employees to take ownership of their growth. This is where Individual Development Plans (IDPs) come in.
But an IDP can’t be another top-down task. “I have found that when the manager does all the work, what’s the chance that the employee is invested in it?” asked Monique.
Instead, frame it as a partnership:
The employee owns the plan: They take the lead in identifying their goals and the steps needed to reach them.
The company invests in the plan: Monique shared how WorkTango created an incentive on their recognition platform. When an employee completes their IDP, they get points. When they take action, like meeting a mentor or finishing a course, they get more. The company invests in those who invest in themselves.
This approach transforms development from a passive process into a "coaching contract" where both the manager and the employee are active participants in the journey.
Your Action Plan for Impactful Feedback
Effective feedback isn’t a single action; it’s a holistic system that requires culturally-aware leaders, clear processes, and a forward-looking mindset. To get started, consider these final insights from our panelists:
Look Forward, Not Just Back: Spend as much time looking forward as you do looking backward. The past is for context; the future is for growth.
Set the Stage: Pause and actually say, ‘I’m going to give you some feedback now.’ This simple sentence prepares the other person to be receptive and truly listen.
Build a Bridge: Feedback is not about delivering your message. It’s about building an information bridge between two people. This requires a deep understanding of the person on the other side.
Invest in Your Leaders: Ultimately, systems and processes are only as good as the people using them. Developing the skills of your managers is the highest-leverage investment you can make.
Download Your Practical Feedback Toolkit
To put these ideas into practice, you need a shared language and a clear process. "From Feedback to Impact" is a practical playbook you can share with every manager in your organization. It’s designed to create a shared language for feedback that is clear, consistent, and culturally intelligent.
With this toolkit, your leaders will learn to:
✅ Build psychological safety so employees are more receptive to feedback.
✅ Drive performance and growth with a 3-step framework.
✅ Make feedback work in culturally diverse teams.
✅ Build trust across borders.
