I feel the need, the need for...good feedback
Talk less, debrief more
Let’s talk feedback.
Most of the time, it’s rushed. Tacked on at the end of a meeting. Or saved for that dreaded annual review.
But what if there’s a better way—one that actually builds trust and improves performance?
Robert “Cujo” Teschner, a former Air Force fighter pilot and author of Debrief to Win, thinks so. He was my most recent guest on the Lead Into It podcast, and he says leaders often miss a huge opportunity by not using the military’s approach to feedback: the debrief.
If you've seen Top Gun (you knew it was coming), you know that after every high-stakes mission, Maverick and the crew don’t just fist bump and move on. They analyze. They talk through what worked, what didn’t, and how to get better.
That’s a debrief.
In the flying world, no mission is complete until the team learns from it. These debriefs aren’t about blame—they’re about truth, clarity, and growth. And they work.
One study found that just 18 minutes of debriefing can improve performance by up to 25%.
So, what makes this different from your typical feedback session?
For starters: clear expectations.
Teschner says many leaders can’t explain the standards they’re using to evaluate their team. That’s a red flag. Feedback without clear criteria feels arbitrary and, honestly, a little pointless.
Great teams know what success looks like—and they talk about it often.
Your challenge this week:
Before giving feedback, ask yourself:
Have I clearly defined what “good” looks like?
Am I using feedback to punish or to grow?
Because setting expectations isn’t enough. You need clear standards to measure against.
As Cujo puts it:
“If we haven’t planned correctly, we don’t have the right to practice accountability.”
Bottom line?
When you shift from critique to collaboration, feedback becomes a superpower for you and your team.
Want to learn more? You can listen to the full episode here or on our favorite podcast app.
Sincerely, someone who wants you to stay on target,
Sara