Corporate life can be draining. Performance reviews? Even worse. Nothing makes me quite as anxious as that awkward, nerve-wrecking conversation where I wait to hear if I’ve met expectations—or fallen short. It can feel like divine judgment, a verdict on my value at work.
But here’s the truth: feedback, when done right, is not about judgement –it shouldn’t be. It’s about growth. It’s the bridge between surviving and thriving in today’s fast-paced, people-centric workplace.
This is exactly the heart of the second episode of our webinar series, Visionary Voices, hosted by Emellia Shariff, lovingly known as Em, the CEO of MIDP.
The session, “Feedback That Fuels: Nurturing High-Performing Teams Through an Effective Feedback Ecosystem,” brought together three remarkable leaders—Dato’ Tengku Marina (INED, MISC Berhad), Azman Khalid (Director of Group Human Capital, Bursa Malaysia), and Agnes Lau (Director of Product Safety Asia Pacific, BASF Service Hub, Kuala Lumpur) —who shared deeply personal stories of leadership, learning, and yes, conflict resolution through courageous feedback.
If you missed it, here’s a chance to catch the highlights—and take away some powerful lessons in workplace communication.
Feedback as Critical Conversation, Not a Corporate Ritual
From the beginning, one thing stood out. It is not enough for feedback to be cramped into an annual, or bi-annual ritual anymore. Employees want to know how they’re doing. Not just during scheduled performance reviews, but consistently, in ways that feel honest and human.
Emellia cited a very hard-hitting stat:
“Employees who receive meaningful feedback weekly are four times more likely to feel engaged.”
This is a powerful testament to how one well-timed, thoughtful conversation has the potential to change someone’s entire career trajectory. But what exactly makes feedback meaningful? And what turns it into a missed opportunity—or worse, a setback?
3 Pillars of Good Feedback: A Soft Skills Must-Have
Every Visionary Voices session opens with guiding principles, and Emellia’s three feedback rules were a masterclass in emotional intelligence and leadership development:
1. Focus on Behavior, Not Personality
We often avoid feedback because we’re worried they might take it personally. But being ambiguous in your feedback is even worse, because it doesn’t help anyone grow (plus, it might be mistaken as animosity.)
But it’s not just about being specific, it’s about being constructive—framing your words in a way that directs attention to actions and outcomes, not identity or intent.
It’s the difference between saying, “You’re careless with your work,” and “I noticed some key data points were missing in the last two reports.” One is accusatory; the other is actionable.
2. Shift from Blame to Growth
Many feedback conversations get stuck in what went wrong. But effective feedback quickly move to what we can do next.
Another gem from Emellia in the session: “Spend only 20% of the time to understand the problem, and 80% on the solution.”
That line reframed everything for me. Good feedback resolves conflict, inspires ownership, and unlocks forward momentum.
3. Make It a Conversation, Not a Monologue
The best critical conversations feel like a huddle, not a courtroom. Instead of “this mistake shouldn’t have happened,” ask, “what do you think led to this?”
It’s amazing how much more someone will open up when they feel invited into the process, not blamed for the outcome.
Lessons That Hit Home
When it came the moment where the panels got to share their stories, they did not hold back. Each speaker opened up about moments that shaped their leadership—and it was both refreshing and reassuring to hear how universal the feedback struggle really is.
Notable moments for each of them was when:
- Dato’ Marina shared a moment from early in her career when her boss bluntly told her, “Bring me solutions, not problems.” It was a tough pill to swallow, but it sparked a lifelong habit of resourcefulness. Later, she stayed true to her values, turning down a promotion that would’ve meant compromising who she was. That honesty stuck with me.
- Azman Khalid reflected on balancing authenticity with assertiveness. Even now, as a senior leader, he’s learning to clarify his intentions before giving feedback. His advice? “Ask yourself: What is this feedback really for?” Growth—or offloading frustration?
- Agnes Lau’s story was incredibly human. opened up about feeling overwhelmed by 360-degree feedback. It only started making sense after a coach asked her: What do you actually want? That single question shifted her focus from fixing gaps to amplifying strengths—and led her to become a mentor.
Recognizing Our High Power-Distance Culture
The webinar addresses a topic that really hits home when we take into consideration this unfortunate fact: Malaysia is globally ranked highest in Hofstede’s “Power Distance Index” (The Malaysian Reserve).
In the Malaysian context (for reasons that would be way too much to unpack in a single essay), respect for hierarchy is deeply embedded in our culture. This can make speaking up feel incredibly risky.
Our speakers did not sugar-coat this. They acknowledged that in many organizations, the feedback loop remains top-down. But they also championed micro-culture shifts that build psychological safety—where feedback is not feared, but welcomed.
So, What Does a Healthy Feedback Culture Really Look Like?
The panel ended with a question that’s stuck with me ever since: If we took away the forms, the performance systems, the corporate lingo—what would feedback look like?
Their answers painted a shared vision:
- It’s timely, human, and rooted in trust.
- It feels safe—like you’re talking with someone who wants you to succeed.
- It’s driven not by KPIs, but by a genuine desire to help each other grow.
As Azman said so perfectly:
“It’s not about ticking boxes. It’s about building habits—because you sincerely want to help.”
Final Thoughts
This webinar reminded me: feedback isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. It’s about showing up with empathy, listening with intention, and being brave enough to speak with the goal of lifting someone up.
Whether you’re a new team lead or a seasoned executive, maybe the real question isn’t “Did I give feedback today?”
Maybe it’s: “Did my feedback make someone feel seen, supported, and empowered to grow?”
Now that’s feedback that truly fuels.
If you’re ready to deepen these skills and drive real cultural change within your teams, explore our Executive Soft Skills Excellence Series. It’s designed to equip professionals with the tools to lead critical conversations, master conflict resolution, and foster high-performing teams through intentional communication.
