AI is reshaping industries, automating tasks, and streamlining processes, but there’s one thing technology can’t replace — the power of human collaboration.
Small businesses and nonprofits that thrive in the AI era won’t just be the ones that adopt the latest tools. Instead, they’ll be the organizations that build strong, connected teams grounded in trust, transparency, and teamwork. These are the leaders who will use AI to enhance—not replace—human potential. And at the very heart of all successful collaboration lies one skill that has never been more relevant for advancing the power of human collaboration. That skill is transformational feedback.
Why feedback fuels the power of human collaboration
Great teams don’t just happen. They’re built. Not by luck, but through intentional leadership and open communication. Feedback, when done right, is the glue that holds collaboration together. When feedback is clear, consistent, and constructive, it doesn’t drive people apart. It brings them together.
Think about it. When an employee feels safe enough to speak up, share ideas, or admit mistakes, it creates a culture of mutual support. And when a manager can give helpful, future-facing feedback without making someone feel embarrassed or shut down, everyone wins.
Take Denise, a small business owner in the Pacific Northwest. Her company was struggling after implementing a new software solution that didn’t take off as expected. Instead of assigning blame, she held a “What Did We Learn?” meeting. Her team was surprised when she opened the meeting with, “Let’s figure this out together. We all have something to learn here, including me.” That single act of vulnerability turned the meeting into a powerful collaboration session. Her employees didn’t feel attacked. They felt valued. As a result, her team began suggesting process improvements that ultimately saved the company thousands.
When feedback builds or breaks trust
Now, contrast that with another story. This is one many managers might relate to.
Carlos runs a small creative agency. He had a promising designer on his team, but the designer had been missing deadlines. Instead of having a one-on-one feedback session, Carlos called him out in front of the whole team. The intent was to motivate, but the effect was the opposite. The designer shut down. He became less engaged, and a few months later, he quit.
Carlos later admitted, “I was frustrated, and I let that frustration speak. I wish I’d handled it differently.” His team’s morale dipped after the incident. Why? Because feedback, when delivered poorly, breaks trust. And once trust is broken, collaboration stalls.
AI can’t replace the power of human connection
In this age of automation, AI can help us do more with less. It can draft reports, predict sales trends, and even respond to customer inquiries. But it can’t inspire a team, resolve emotional conflict, or recognize a breakthrough idea during a brainstorming session.
Collaboration is where the magic happens in any business. It’s in the cross-functional meeting where marketing and operations finally align. It’s in the lunchroom chat where a junior employee shares an insight that leads to a major process improvement. It’s in the respectful disagreement that births a smarter solution.
And it all starts with feedback and how feedback is delivered.
When collaboration is missing, culture suffers
When feedback is missing—or worse, when it’s weaponized—teams begin to crumble. People start working in silos. They stop sharing ideas. Meetings feel tense. Innovation dries up. Turnover increases.
The cost is steep.
Studies show that replacing an employee can cost 1.5 to 2 times their annual salary. In small businesses and nonprofits, this kind of disruption can be devastating. If you lose two employees to turnover, that turnover is 20% if your team is 10 people. The loss of institutional knowledge, project momentum, and team cohesion can set you back months. Perhaps years.
Feedback isn’t just a correction — it’s a conversation
The good news? Feedback doesn’t have to be painful. In fact, when done well, feedback becomes one of the most powerful tools a leader has to build trust, engagement, and performance.
Here’s the shift. Feedback must become a conversation, not a command. It’s not about pointing out flaws; it’s about helping each person—and the team—get better.
That’s what happens when small business leaders start asking questions like:
- “What support would help you meet your deadline next time?”
- “How do you think that meeting went—and what could we do better?”
- “What feedback do you have for me?”
These are not just performance conversations. They’re relationship builders.
Transformational feedback is the future of leadership
At the TIGERS 6 Principles Leadership Academy, we’ve built training around this very idea. Our free webinar, The Power of Transformational Feedback, walks leaders through how to shift feedback from being a source of conflict to a tool for growth.
In the webinar, we show how to:
- Create a psychologically safe space for feedback.
- Use feedback to strengthen trust and cooperation.
- Deliver feedback that inspires—not intimidates.
- Turn everyday conversations into development opportunities.
This kind of leadership matters more than ever—because the future of work isn’t just digital. It’s human. And the leaders who understand how to connect, communicate, and collaborate will be the ones who thrive.
So what’s the takeaway?
AI is a powerful tool, but collaboration is your secret weapon.
It’s the reason your team shows up ready to solve problems. It’s why your best employees stay, even when another offer is on the table. It’s how you build resilience, because when your team trusts each other, they can weather any storm.
And it all starts with feedback that helps them grow and transform.
So if you want to lead a team that is stronger, smarter, and more resilient—not just ready for the future, but building it—start with how you give and receive feedback.
That’s where collaboration begins. That’s where your competitive edge thrives.
Would you like help transforming feedback in your organization? We provide up to four pay-it-forward webinars per year. Join our free webinar: The Power of Transformational Feedback. Let’s build the kind of teams that AI can’t replace.
Copyright TIGERS Success Series, Inc. by Dianne Crampton
About the TIGERS 6 Principles™
The TIGERS 6 Principles empower Executives and Consultants with a comprehensive and versatile collaborative work environment and transformational leadership system to resolve avoidable talent, engagement and work community problems that stunt growth and scalability.
A researched and validated collaborative work culture and facilitative leadership model, licensing is available for HR Executives, Operations and Project Managers, Consultants and Coaches to improve their operations and client success.
Enroll in this complimentary webinar to learn more transformational feedback.
