When Good Could Still be Better: What a Recent Training Session Taught Us About Feedback, Learning, and Continuous Improvement
- mikemason100
- Feb 9
- 6 min read
Recently, Sam and I delivered a training session for a large team. It was built around detailed discussion, rich storytelling, and two missions using the Interpersonal Skills Lab (Interlab) software to show the value of and teach briefing and debriefing.
There were 36 participants in total. The energy was high and the engagement was strong. The room was buzzing, and that included us, not just the participants!
The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive. At the same time two small pieces of constructive feedback stood out, not because they were critical, but because they were deeply useful. They reminded us why feedback, done well, is one of the most powerful tools for learning, performance, and improvement.
It's also vital to consider that creating the conditions for honest feedback matters just as much as delivering great training.
What Happened
Because of the way Interlab works, we can only facilitate up to eight teams of four participants at any one time, a total of 32 people. With 36 in the room, four participants needed to act as observers.
One of those observers fed back that she would have preferred to be in a team rather than watching from the outside. She was absolutely right, participation is a much more powerful learning tool than simply observing. We get more out of 'doing' than 'observing'.
Our constraint was purely logistical. What we didn’t do was explain that constraint clearly at the start of the session. We failed to take the time to say:
“Because of the numbers today, the limits of the system mean that four people will need to take on observer roles. The observer is a powerful tool in our workshops, you will see things that others won't which all helps the learning.”
With hindsight, this would have completely reframed the experience. Instead of feeling excluded, those participants could have seen themselves as having a deliberate and valuable role in observing behaviours, patterns, communication, and teamwork.
That one small piece of feedback highlighted a blind spot we hadn’t seen. A second piece of feedback related to delivery speed. We both felt this ourselves. As the day progressed, discussions were rich, engagement was high, and time disappeared faster than expected. A group of 36 (which is bigger than we normally deal with) simply takes longer to move, to discuss, to reflect, and to transition. There was so much to talk about!
We thought we had more time than we actually did and as a result, we had to compress the final section more than we would have liked. What linked these two pieces of feedback was that, with more time at the end, we could have gone back to the observers and mined their insights far more effectively, which would have gone a long way to making them feel more involved.
Both lessons pointed to the same underlying theme: designing experiences that work not just in theory, but in reality.
Why Feedback Matters More Than Praise
Positive feedback feels good. It’s motivating. It builds confidence. And it matters.
But it rarely changes behaviour.
Constructive feedback that is delivered well and received openly is what actually improves performance. The two comments we received did exactly that. They didn’t question our intent, competence, or value. They simply shone a light on areas we could tighten, clarify, and improve.
And the only reason that happened is because the environment felt safe enough for people to speak honestly which isn't accidental.
When people feel:
respected
listened to
valued
psychologically safe
they are far more likely to share thoughts that go beyond polite approval. In many organisations, feedback flows upwards only when something is seriously broken. By then, learning is reactive and damage-limiting, rather than proactive and improvement-focused.
What we experienced with this session was learning while things are going well, which is arguably the most powerful time to learn.
The Culture That Enables Feedback
Feedback does not exist in isolation. It is a product of culture. In cultures where:
mistakes are punished
blame is normal
reputation management outweighs learning
feedback dries up. People either stay silent or provide only safe, surface-level comments.
In cultures where:
curiosity is valued
mistakes are treated as learning
leaders model humility
feedback becomes a natural part of how the system evolves. Ironically, a grea deal of leaders say they want honest feedback but unintentionally create environments where giving it feels risky so don't receive it. This session reinforced something we deeply believe:
If you want better feedback, first build better psychological safety.
Only then will people tell you what you actually need to hear.
Continuous Improvement: Why “Good” Is a Dangerous Target
The session went well. Very well, in fact which is why the feedback mattered. When performance is strong, it’s tempting to stabilise rather than evolve. To protect your success rather than interrogate and evolve it.
High-performance environments don’t (or at least shouldn't) aim for “good”. They aim for better. Relentlessly. In military aviation, we debrief every mission. We do this because they are NEVER perfect and there is always something to improve and also because when nothing goes wrong over time, complacency quietly creeps in as the processes start to drift even if the outcomes remain 'safe'.
The same applies in business. If teams only review failures, they miss huge learning opportunities. Success is often the result of:
favourable conditions
luck
compensating actions
hidden vulnerabilities
Without reflection, organisations can mistake luck for competence. Until conditions change.
The two small pieces of feedback we received will directly improve:
how we brief sessions
how we design participation
how we structure time
how we harvest learning
None of that would have happened if we’d simply basked in the praise.
Observers: The Missed Opportunity
One of the biggest takeaways for us was how much untapped value exists in observer roles.
Observers see:
communication breakdowns
leadership styles
task prioritisation
emotional responses
stress behaviours
In many ways, they see more than those in the middle of the action. That value is only realised if:
the observer role is clearly framed
observation objectives are explicit
their insights are actively harvested
This mirrors what happens in business. Observers in meetings, projects, and operations often hold critical insights but unless the system invites those insights, they remain unused.
Designing for learning means deliberately creating roles, structures, and time for reflection, not just execution.
Time Pressure: A Hidden Performance Shaper
The second lesson, delivery speed, reflects something else worth talking about.
Time pressure quietly reshapes behaviour. As time compresses:
discussion shortens
reflection reduces
questioning declines
decisions speed up
None of that is inherently wrong. But if not recognised, it distorts learning. In our case, it meant we rushed the final section. In business, it often means:
skipping debriefs
deferring feedback
prioritising delivery over learning
And yet, it’s often the final reflection phase where the most powerful insights emerge.
Time invested in learning pays dividends far beyond the immediate task.
Business Lessons: What Leaders Can Take From This
Here are a few practical takeaways for business leaders and teams:
1. Design for Feedback, Don’t Just Ask for It
If you want honest feedback, build structures, time, and psychological safety that make it easy and safe to give.
2. Treat Success as a Learning Opportunity
Debrief wins as seriously as failures. Success can hide fragile systems.
3. Explain Constraints Early
When people understand why something is happening, frustration turns into understanding and often contribution.
4. Build Observer Roles Into Learning
Some of the richest insights come from those not directly involved in execution. Use them.
5. Protect Reflection Time
When time pressure increases, learning is the first casualty. Guard it deliberately.
Why This Matters
At On Target, our entire philosophy is built around learning faster than failure accumulates.
We don’t believe in perfect performance. We believe in adaptive performance. Systems that evolve through curiosity, feedback, and continuous refinement.
The best organisations don’t avoid mistakes.They detect and learn from small ones before they become big ones.
That only happens when feedback is welcomed, not feared. When improvement is seen as a journey, not a verdict.
Final Thought
We are deeply grateful for the feedback we received. Not despite the session going well but because it went well. If we only ever learn when things go wrong, we will always be one step behind. In high-performance environments, one step behind is often one step too late.
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Mike Mason and Sam Gladman are the co-founders of On Target, a leadership and team development company that brings elite fighter pilot expertise into the corporate world. With decades of combined experience in high-performance aviation, they specialise in translating critical skills such as communication, decision-making, and teamwork into practical tools for business. Through immersive training and cutting-edge simulation, Mike and Sam help teams build trust, improve performance, and thrive under pressure—just like the best flight crews in the world.
If you'd like to learn more about how On Target can help your team, contact Mike and Sam at info@ontargetteaming.com.
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