Feedback vs feedforward is a practical leadership distinction. Feedback focuses on past behaviour. Feedforward focuses on future improvement.
Book a confidential 30-minute Zoom session
See our MGSCC Video playlist
Feedback vs Feedforward in Leadership
Feedback vs feedforward is a practical leadership distinction. Feedback focuses on past behaviour. Feedforward focuses on future improvement.
The difference sounds simple. In practice, it changes how leaders learn, respond, and sustain behaviour change.
This article explains the difference between feedback and feedforward, why feedforward often produces stronger behavioural results, and how it operates within structured leadership coaching.
What Is the Difference Between Feedback and Feedforward?
Feedback evaluates past performance.
Feedforward suggests future improvement.
Feedback asks: What happened?
Feedforward asks: What would you suggest I do differently going forward?
That shift changes the emotional tone of the conversation and redirects attention toward behaviour that can actually change.
Feedback vs Feedforward: A Practical Comparison
| Feedback | Feedforward |
|---|---|
| Focuses on past behaviour | Focuses on future behaviour |
| Often evaluative | Always forward-looking |
| Can trigger defensiveness | Encourages participation |
| Explains what went wrong | Suggests what could work next |
| Insight-oriented | Action-oriented |
Feedback can increase awareness. Feedforward increases the likelihood of behavioural adjustment.
Both have value. They are not interchangeable.
Why Feedback Alone Often Falls Short
In leadership contexts, insight is rarely the bottleneck.
Senior leaders usually know their strengths and weaknesses. The difficulty lies in translating awareness into visible, consistent behavioural change under pressure.
Traditional feedback systems often struggle because they are:
- Infrequent
- Evaluation-heavy
- Detached from daily behaviour
- Weak on follow-up
Without disciplined application, feedback becomes informational rather than transformational.
Why Feedforward Works Differently
Feedforward reduces defensiveness because it does not dwell on past mistakes.
Instead, it:
- Invites practical suggestions
- Signals openness
- Encourages forward movement
- Focuses attention on controllable behaviour
The conversation becomes constructive rather than corrective. Leaders are not being judged. They are being supported in improving what happens next.
The Marshall Goldsmith Feedforward Approach
The concept of feedforward was popularised in executive coaching practice by Marshall Goldsmith.
Within the Stakeholder-Centred Coaching process, feedforward is embedded inside a structured behavioural discipline.
In simple terms, the process involves:
- Selecting a small number of specific behaviours to improve
- Asking key stakeholders for future-focused suggestions
- Acting on those suggestions consistently
- Following up regularly to check whether improvement is being noticed
Stakeholders are not asked to judge effort. They are asked one practical question:
“Are you seeing improvement?”
Behaviour and perception shift together through repetition and follow-up. Feedforward alone is not the system. Discipline makes it effective.
Where Leadership Is Actually Experienced
Leaders do not experience their own leadership directly. Other people do.
Peers, direct reports, managers, and key stakeholders encounter leadership behaviour daily — especially in moments of pressure.
Feedforward anchors development in lived experience. It:
- Builds credibility through visible openness
- Makes behavioural change observable
- Connects development to real organisational impact
Leadership credibility is constructed socially, not privately.
When to Use Feedback vs Feedforward
Use feedback when:
- Clarifying past outcomes
- Reviewing performance
- Diagnosing breakdowns
Use feedforward when:
- Seeking behavioural improvement
- Reducing defensiveness
- Accelerating change
- Building ongoing accountability
They serve different functions.
Feedforward is particularly effective when the goal is visible leadership behaviour change rather than evaluation.
Conclusion: From Insight to Behaviour Change
Feedback informs. Feedforward, when paired with disciplined follow-up, changes behaviour.
The difference between feedback and feedforward is not philosophical. It is operational.
Leadership development succeeds when stakeholders experience leaders differently — not when leaders simply understand themselves better.
Your Next Step
If you are seriously considering CEO Leadership Coaching
→ Book a 30-minute Zoom call with Michael Beale, CEO coach and 1:1 NLP trainer
Or continue the series:
Next article: Results Backed Coaching
Full Index: Marshall Goldsmith Coaching
FAQ: Feedback vs Feedforward
Q: What is the difference between feedback and feedforward?
A: Feedback focuses on past behaviour. Feedforward focuses on future improvement by inviting practical suggestions.
Q: Is feedforward better than feedback?
A: Not universally. Feedforward is often more effective when the goal is behavioural change rather than evaluation.
Q: Who introduced the feedforward concept?
A: The approach was popularised by Marshall Goldsmith within executive coaching practice.
Q: Does feedforward work without follow-up?
A: Rarely. Behaviour change typically requires visible action and consistent follow-up with stakeholders.
