This is the first post in a series titled “Leadership Lessons for Sellers”. If you want to be sure to receive the future posts in the series, join the team.

Feedback is a leadership superpower

Change is inevitable. So is giving feedback.
But giving feedback with incorrectly-set expectations is a fast track to burnout.

Sales is an infinite game. That means our longevity depends more on how we manage risk than how we chase rewards. If you care about long-term performance, read on.

1. Give Feedback in the Right Format

Feedback that gets ignored is often feedback that’s hard to use. To make it actionable, structure it like we would a value prop for a champion:

Context – What changed? What’s the background or recent shift (policy, comp, process, etc.)?
Problem – What pain or issue is this causing? What's the root of it?
Solution – What might work better? Even if it’s rough, suggest something.
Payoff – What’s at stake if this is fixed? What’s the upside, or what risk is being mitigated?

This structure gives your manager something they can actually pass up the chain. It’s the same principle as formatting messaging for champions to use internally during a sales cycle. Don’t just share what’s wrong, instead give them something they can use.

2. Give Feedback at the Right Level

a. Stay Tactical
If you’re in sales, your org likely isn’t looking for unsolicited strategy. When leadership asks for feedback, they usually mean: “What’s not working at the ground level that we can fix?”

Tactical feedback is:

Specific (scope the size of the change)
Concrete (give links/examples/direct notes)
Actionable (immediately applicable solutions)

If you find yourself repeatedly offering high-level advice that nobody asked for, and getting frustrated when nothing happens, you’re risking self-inflicted burnout. In fact, this is referred to as the “tortured genius” archetype, which you should avoid like the plague. When you find yourself wanting to broadcast insights, focus on building coalitions instead.

b. Use the Chain
Great orgs have open-door policies. But open-door doesn’t mean skip the chain. Going to your manager first increases the chance of:

Your feedback being heard and acted on
Your manager getting a win by carrying it forward
You both staying aligned and building trust

Think in terms of win-win-win:
You win by being heard.
Your manager wins by delivering value.
The org wins with better visibility and ideas.

That’s how things get adopted, by removing the friction and increasing the payoff.

3. Give Feedback at the Right Time

When a new policy or product drops, here’s a truth worth remembering:

If they wanted your feedback, they’d have asked for it.

At launch, your job isn’t to tear it apart. Instead, it’s to:

Celebrate the work that went into it
Understand what it means for you
Ask smart, clarifying questions

Start by seeking clarity. That clarity will help you frame your feedback after you understand the intent and downstream impact.

Once you’ve done that, use the format above. Share it through the right channel. That’s what gives your feedback a real chance to create change.

Final thought:
Giving and receiving feedback is a leadership skill.

Whether you’re a future CRO, a people manager, or plan to stay IC forever, you’re already a leader if you choose to act like one. That’s because leadership is an action, not a title.

Leadership starts with how you show up today. And that includes how you handle feedback.