06/06/2025
From Feedback to Fuel: How Evaluations Can Transform Development—If We Let Them
In over a decade of coaching and building leadership programs across industries—tech, legal, nonprofits, and startups—one thing has always stayed true:
✨ Feedback isn’t a wrap-up. It’s a launchpad.
I’ve seen too many workshops and training initiatives end with a smile sheet or post-session survey… and then disappear. On the surface, the program worked. But real growth isn’t about one great session. It’s about what happens after. It’s how we listen to what people say, track what they do, and evolve the approach accordingly.
🧠 Adult learning theory backs this up. The 70-20-10 model tells us:
●70% of learning happens on the job
●20% through coaching + social feedback
●Only 10% through formal training
So why do we overinvest in the 10% and leave the 70% to chance?
An example I can’t forget:
I once led a leadership development program for a group of talented professionals entering people management for the first time. We used DiSC assessments to surface behavior patterns, stress responses, and communication blind spots.
In the debrief, one participant (a high “I”) admitted:
> “This all sounds great, but I still say yes to everything because I want to be liked. I don’t know how to set boundaries without disappointing people.”
That moment? That was the learning. Not the slide deck. Not the theory. But the honesty. The lived conflict.
So—we paused. I designed a follow-up:
"How to Say No Without Losing Rapport.”
We practiced in real time. Managers got post-training prompts for coaching follow-through.
💡 Three months later, she’d reshaped her role, and earned a peer award for her clarity and communication.
That win came not from content—but from coaching, iteration, and evaluation that actually listens.
So here’s what I’ve found works:
✅ Design with evaluation in mind
Build reflection points and check-ins before launch. Ask: “How will we know if this mattered 60 days later?”
✅ Use tools like DiSC as springboards, not scorecards
When people can name their style, they can start to own their growth.
✅ Create coaching moments inside the learning journey
Group sessions, manager support, individual reflection. It’s not one-and-done.
✅ Turn feedback into iteration—not just celebration
High ratings are nice. But I watch for subtle patterns: silence, hesitation, or what’s missing.
In law firms, healthcare, tech, and high-stakes industries—people don’t need more info. They need integrated, practical development they can use immediately.
That’s what I design. That’s the work I care about.
Not just training.
Not just coaching.
●But evolving systems that help people show up better—aligned, aware, and effective.●
👋 I’m a licensed DiSC facilitator, certified trained coach, and leadership coaching partner to execs and teams.
How do you use feedback loops in your coaching or development programs?