Re:Thinking with Adam GrantShould you give feedback to the individual or the team?
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 0:18
Why individual feedback can unintentionally hurt team performance
Adam Grant opens by highlighting a common tension: feedback that helps an individual improve can sometimes move them away from what the group needs. He frames the core question as how coaching changes when feedback is aimed at the team rather than a single player.
- •Individual improvements can conflict with group outcomes
- •Team improvement often requires group-level feedback
- •Coaching approach shifts when addressing the whole team vs. one person
- 0:18 – 0:48
Establishing team standards of excellence early (training camp foundation)
Jessica Campbell explains that effective team feedback starts with clear standards set early, typically in training camp. Once established, the coach’s job is to reinforce a consistent message about who the team is and how it operates.
- •Set standards of excellence early to create shared expectations
- •Use training camp to define identity and operating principles
- •Reinforce a consistent, repeatable message: “This is us”
- 0:48 – 1:18
Calling out deviations: accountability and varied player reactions
With standards in place, deviations can be identified and addressed—often uncomfortably. Campbell notes that players respond differently when called out: some adjust immediately, while others react with shame or defensiveness and repeat mistakes.
- •Accountability is painful but necessary when standards are broken
- •Some players respond to call-outs with quick corrective action
- •Others spiral into shame/defensiveness and struggle to change
- •Coaches must anticipate different emotional/performance responses
- 1:18 – 1:22
Standards over rules: defining identity, non-negotiables, and team framing
Campbell distinguishes between “rules” and “standards,” emphasizing a few non-negotiables tied to team identity and style of play. She advocates framing behaviors explicitly as “team” or “not team,” and celebrating actions that match the identity.
- •Prefer clear standards over rigid rules
- •Define an MO (modus operandi) with non-negotiables tied to identity
- •Celebrate behaviors that exemplify “this is team”
- •Name misalignment as “this is not team” to keep feedback identity-based
