Across academia and industry, I've noticed a common thread: the ability to give and receive substantive criticism is remarkably rare and increasingly valuable. This observation was reinforced recently while advising graduate students on peer review assignments.
The problem? Most approach peer review as a shallow, checkbox-oriented task--the academic equivalent of responding “looks good!” to a peer’s initial assignment effort. This is a missed opportunity. Deep, thoughtful peer review is both a cognitive skill worth developing and a form of executive presence--the kind of focused investment that creates real value.
Let me explain.
Tossing Peanuts
Consider this common scenario: A graduate student receives a classmate's KPI implementation project. They skim it quickly between meetings, leaving surface-level comments like “needs more detail” or “good analysis.” This is what I call “tossing peanuts” –the action neither challenges the reviewer’s analytical abilities nor meaningfully improves the work. The comments, peanuts, aren’t even something the recipient can work with—a seed for them to grow from.
Planting Seeds With Intention
Thoughtful peer review builds both the reviewer's analytical skills and the strength of the work being reviewed. Your goal is to provide the kind of specific, actionable feedback you'd want to receive from a respected colleague.
Contrast this with what I observed from high-performing students and professionals. They approach peer review as serious analytical exercise, dedicating time and focus to invest in others to engage thoroughly with their colleagues’ ideas.
Here's an example from a recent graduate course:
Instead of writing “the metrics seem weak,” a student produced this analysis: “While the financial KPIs align with stated growth objectives, the current framework lacks leading indicators for content performance. Consider adding metrics around content development pipeline health and early engagement patterns to provide advance warning of potential revenue impacts.”
Notice the difference? The latter demonstrates what cognitive scientists call focused intention engaging with ideas at a fundamental level rather than staying on the surface.
The Art of Specific, Constructive Feedback
Instead of This: "The executive summary is too long and unfocused."
Try This: "The executive summary effectively outlines the project scope. Consider tightening its focus by moving the detailed methodology discussion to the approach section. This would keep readers centered on key findings and recommendations."
Core Areas for Analysis
When reviewing KPI projects, for example, examine:
Strategic alignment - Do metrics support stated objectives?
Target feasibility - Are goals ambitious yet achievable?
Implementation approach - Does the plan address organizational realities?
Strong vs Weak Feedback Examples
Unrealistic Targets
💡 Effective: "While the financial metrics are well-defined, the 15% revenue growth target would be more compelling with industry benchmarking context. Consider adding competitor growth rates or market projections to demonstrate why this target balances ambition with achievability."
❌ Ineffective: "The targets seem unrealistic."
Change Management Implications
💡 Effective:
"The stakeholder analysis provides a strong foundation. The implementation timeline could be strengthened by including specific training milestones and success metrics for each stakeholder group."
❌ Ineffective: "Needs more detail about implementation."
Opening Productive Dialogue
Frame feedback as thoughtful questions that prompt discussion:
"Have you considered how the quarterly review cadence aligns with the company's monthly business reviews? There may be an opportunity to integrate these KPIs into existing processes."
Rather than: "The review schedule doesn't make sense."
Key Principles
Focus on enhancement rather than criticism
Support suggestions with specific examples
Acknowledge effective approaches before suggesting improvements
Consider organizational context and constraints
Frame feedback to open rather than close discussion
Remember
You're developing crucial business leadership skills
Thoughtful criticism strengthens rather than damages professional relationships
The most valuable feedback prompts meaningful dialogue
Specific, actionable suggestions are more helpful than general observations