Your Teams Are Capable. Are They Still Coachable?

In fast-paced work environments, technical skills and experience open doors, but what sustains performance over time is the ability to take in new information, reflect, and adjust. That process depends on feedback. 

In our recent survey, 81% of professionals agreed that humility, defined as the willingness to actively seek and apply feedback, is critical for professional growth. But nearly half (46%) reported that the feedback they receive is vague or unhelpful. Without clear, actionable input, even highly skilled professionals operate with limited visibility into how they’re doing or what to improve.

This creates a subtle but significant performance drag, one that many organizations underestimate.

The Signs of a Weak Feedback Culture

Even in well-intentioned teams, humility can get sidelined when the systems and habits for regular, effective feedback don’t exist. Our study revealed four common issues:

·      Vague or non-actionable feedback (46%) - Professionals are open to hearing input, but they can’t use it if it’s too generic or unclear.

·      Infrequent feedback (23%) - When feedback is delivered sporadically or only at the end of projects, it’s harder to connect it to daily behaviors.

·      Over-reliance on personal judgment (15%) - A strong sense of autonomy is valuable, but it can lead to blind spots without regular outside input.

·      Feedback deprioritized (5%) - Even when feedback is available, time pressure can push it aside unless it’s built into the workflow.

Left unaddressed, these issues create environments where learning stalls. Your team might have the capability but lack the structure to support reflection and growth.

What Strong Teams Do Differently

Teams that prioritize humility develop shared habits that accelerate learning and deepen trust. These aren’t big, sweeping changes. They are small behavioral practices repeated consistently.

Here are some behaviors worth building into team routines:

·      Ask better questions.  Instead of “Do you have feedback?”, try “What’s one thing I could do differently next time?” or “Is there a part of this that didn’t land as clearly?”

·      Acknowledge and apply input.  When feedback leads to a change, say so. This reinforces a culture where feedback is valued—not just tolerated.

·      Create safe space for disagreement.  Invite people into your thinking while decisions are still being shaped. It signals openness and builds stronger solutions.

·      Add micro-feedback loops.  Use the last five minutes of a meeting to reflect on what worked—or what could be improved next time. No surveys, no slide decks, just quick observations that surface learning.

These habits don’t require major investments. But they do require consistency. Over time, they change how teams think, respond, and grow.

As business models evolve and technical knowledge cycles shrink, professionals need to grow faster and adapt more fluidly than ever before. Many skills now have a half-life of just a few years. What makes teams resilient is how quickly they can unlearn, update, and improve.

That kind of agility comes from humility, and humility needs to be built.

At Skiilify, we help organizations do just that. Our platform gives teams the tools to develop soft skills like humility, curiosity, relationship-building, and resilience, skills that improve team performance, reduce friction, and support long-term growth.

Let’s talk about how we can help your team to build these capabilities, one behavior at a time.