The psychological minefield of leadership: when feedback changes nothing

By Dr. Toye Sobande · First published in BusinessDay, 1 May 2026

Most leaders have had the experience: a careful, well-delivered feedback conversation, polite agreement in the room, and then nothing changes. In the second part of this series, Dr. Sobande argues that the problem is often not the person receiving the feedback.

The argument

Behaviour follows what an organisation rewards and tolerates more than what its leaders say. If the culture, the incentives or the leader’s own example quietly endorse the behaviour being criticised, the feedback will be cancelled out.

Feedback can also feel like a threat to someone’s professional identity, so people may agree outwardly and resist privately. Framing feedback as a raised expectation rather than an accusation helps, and so does a short follow-up within a week to ask what has helped and what has been hard.

Key takeaways

• Systems and rewards shape behaviour more than conversations do.
• Feedback can threaten identity; frame it as a higher expectation.
• Follow up within a week to show support and surface resistance early.
• Check whether you are modelling, permitting or rewarding the behaviour you want to correct.
• Fix your own unaddressed habits before expecting change in others.

“Feedback without follow-through feels like criticism.”

Dr. Toye Sobande

A question to take away

Which behaviour you have asked someone to change is still being quietly rewarded in your organisation?