Impact After
Receipt (IAR)
The Gift of Ongoing Value
The Throw
Intentional Delivery
Like a quarterback throwing to where a receiver is going, high-IAR feedback is delivered not just for where the person is today, but for where they can go tomorrow.
Result: Career-shaping insight.
The Catch
Recursive Impact
The true value of feedback isn’t the transaction; it’s the “yards” the receiver gains after the catch. High IAR means the gift provides value long after the initial exchange.
Result: Sustained Growth.
The Giver’s Responsibility
Giving feedback is an immense honor and responsibility. As a feedback giver, you are helping to shape the trajectory of another person’s career. Impact After Receipt (IAR) encourages givers to move beyond the immediate “land” of the feedback and consider what the receiver will actually be able to *do* with it months or years later.
The NFL Inspiration
Inspired by the NFL metric “Yards After Catch” (YAC), IAR highlights that a receiver’s success depends largely on how the “pass” was thrown. A quarterback doesn’t throw to where a receiver is standing; they throw to where the receiver is heading. Similarly, high-impact feedback is delivered with a “future-oriented lens” that allows the receiver to outmaneuver future challenges.
An Act of Care
Ultimately, aiming for high IAR is an act of deep care for your colleagues. It requires bringing greater thoughtfulness to the feedback conversation, ensuring that the insights you share aren’t just checked boxes in a performance review, but gifts that provide ongoing, life-shaping value.
Learn more about Authentic Leadership.