«The first problem with feedback is that humans are unreliable raters of other humans.» In this excellent piece in Harvard Business Review, the authors explain why feedback as it is commonly understood doesn’t work. And they offer a new way to think of it. Not as an evaluation of sorts, which – as research shows – often reveals more about the feedback giver than the receiver. Instead, we should think of feedback as an intervention («That! Yes, that!») that prompts a reflection on why something went well.

Sure, every company works a little differently. I still feel these 30 rules of thumb for «how, where, why, and when we communicate» are valuable for everyone. In most jobs, communication is a key factor to how effective you can be and how you feel – and from my own experience and what I hear from others, almost every company would benefit from being more mindful about it.