Creating a Feedback Culture in Training Programs

“We have a feedback culture.”   That’s what the slide says in your onboarding deck.  But here’s what the team actually feels: → “If I speak up, I’ll be labeled ‘difficult.’” → “If I share the real issue, I’ll lose trust.” → “If I name what’s broken, I’ll be the problem.” That’s not feedback. That’s fear. And fear doesn’t build trust. It builds silence. Here’s how to start changing that 👇 1️⃣ Ask questions they’re scared to answer. Try: “What’s one thing we’re not talking about that we should be?” 2️⃣ Respond to feedback like it’s a gift especially when it stings. If you defend, they won’t bring it again. 3️⃣ Give feedback in real time, not once a year. Waiting for performance reviews = waiting too long. 4️⃣ Model emotional regulation. Your tone and energy determine if the room opens up or shuts down. 5️⃣ Normalize disagreement. If your team always agrees with you, they probably don’t feel safe enough to be honest. 6️⃣ Show them how to speak up then protect them when they do. Psychological safety isn’t just permission. It’s protection. 7️⃣ Do your own work. Your self-awareness sets the ceiling for theirs. No inner work = no outer trust. You don’t earn trust through words. You earn it through nervous systems. Because if people can’t breathe around you, they won’t be honest with you. Want to lead a team where truth feels safe? Start with how you listen. - ♻️ Repost to help leaders prioritize psychological safety 🔔 Follow me Julia Laszlo for radically honest leadership talk

💬 “I was just being honest…” Why Feedback Fails Across Cultures — And How to Fix It Have you ever given feedback that landed with confusion—or worse, silence? You meant to be helpful, but your directness was seen as disrespectful, your intentions misread, and the result? ⚠️ Disengagement ⚠️ A crack in team trust. 🔑 Here’s how to give feedback without cultural misfires: 4 Culturally Intelligent Strategies 1️⃣ Learn Their Feedback Norms ✳️ Why it matters: Different cultures have different expectations around how feedback is given. Some value directness; others prioritize saving face. ✳️ How to do it: Before giving feedback, learn the norms of the culture you're working with. Is directness expected (e.g., Netherlands)? Or is indirect communication the norm (e.g., Thailand, Japan)? ✳️ What it changes: You avoid triggering defensiveness and build a stronger bridge of understanding—your message lands, not jars. 2️⃣ Separate Feedback from Evaluation ✳️ Why it matters: In many collectivist cultures, receiving criticism in front of peers may feel like public shame. ✳️ How to do it: Offer developmental feedback one-on-one. Frame it as a shared goal: “Let’s work together on this,” rather than “Here’s what you did wrong.” ✳️ What it changes: This preserves the employee’s dignity while deepening your trust and credibility as a leader. 3️⃣ Check for Meaning, Not Just Understanding ✳️ Why it matters: “Yes” doesn’t always mean “I agree” or “I understand” in all cultures. It may just mean “I’m listening.” ✳️ How to do it: Ask them to reflect on what they understood. Use phrases like: “What are your thoughts on what we discussed?” or “How do you see this fitting into your current approach?” ✳️ What it changes: It confirms alignment and clears up ambiguity before it becomes a problem. 4️⃣ Invite Feedback About Your Feedback ✳️ Why it matters: Leadership isn’t just about giving feedback; it’s about modeling openness to it. ✳️ How to do it: Ask: “Was this helpful?” or “How could I have made that clearer?” This shows humility and fosters psychological safety. ✳️ What it changes: You normalize feedback as a two-way street, strengthening your team’s trust and collaborative culture. 🌈 Ready to Go Deeper? If this resonates with you and you're ready to lead your global team with more clarity and less miscommunication, I’d love to chat. 👉 Book your FREE Cultural Clarity Call – no pressure, just insight. #CulturalCompetence #InclusiveLeadership #GlobalTeams #LeadershipDevelopment #FeedbackCulture #TeamPerformance

Most leaders avoid feedback conversations because they fear what might break. But what if the real risk is what you'll never build? According to Gallup, 80% of employees who receive meaningful feedback on a weekly basis are fully engaged (2019). Yet 37% of leaders admit they're uncomfortable giving feedback to their teams. That silence isn't kindness. It's career sabotage. I discovered this while coaching a brilliant VP who avoided giving feedback for 6 months. His reasoning? "I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings." Meanwhile, his team was stuck in a loop of repeated mistakes, missed growth, and mounting frustration. The quiet cost of silence was crushing their potential. The truth? Feedback delayed is development denied. Here's the T.R.U.S.T.™ Feedback Framework I teach my executive clients: 1/ Time it right → 60% of employees want feedback weekly → But 39% wait over three months to hear anything → Create a rhythm, not just reactions to problems 2/ Real, not rehearsed → "In yesterday's client call, I noticed..." → Specific moments create specific growth → Vague praise and vague criticism both waste time 3/ Understand the person → Different team members need different approaches → Some need direct words, others need gentle questions → Personalize delivery, not just content 4/ Safe to receive → Ask "What support do you need with this?" → Make feedback a conversation, not a verdict → This transforms defensiveness into development 5/ Two-way street → End with "What feedback do you have for me?" → Your willingness to receive transforms your right to give → This builds feedback culture, not just compliance The most powerful leaders build teams where truth flows freely in all directions. Because when feedback feels like genuine care, not criticism, performance soars. What feedback conversation have you been avoiding that could unlock someone's potential? 📌 Save this framework for your next growth conversation ➕ Follow Loren Rosario - Maldonado, PCC for human leadership

How does feedback affect performance? There is a solid body of research to show that feedback can be among the most powerful influences on performance (see references in the attachment and link in the comments). However, it is also apparent that feedback is not always a gift, and it can often harm performance. An evidence-based approach can help establish a feedback culture that effectively drives performance. Below you can find recommendations adapted from CIPD’s evidence review and my consulting practice: 1- Remember that feedback is not always useful. Instead of encouraging managers to give as much feedback as possible, emphasize quality feedback. Prompt managers to invest time in better preparing and delivering feedback. 2- Train managers to recognize and work with reactions to feedback. Managers can ask how the person feels about the feedback, and whether it is actionable or fair. 3- Consider assessing employees’ reactions to feedback more systematically. For example, ask short questions to quickly survey employees after a feedback meeting to evaluate how useful the feedback was for them and how positive/negative they feel following the feedback. This can inform further line management conversations or target training to develop managers’ capability in feedback. 4- Managers and colleagues giving feedback should be encouraged and trained to do the following: • Deliver specific feedback. Provide them with a guide on what specific, detailed, and elaborated feedback means, including what points they should cover. • Before giving feedback, assess what type of tasks the feedback will cover. For most tasks, and especially creative ones, avoid giving negative feedback where possible and focus on positive episodes and on how to recreate them in the future. For precision, risk, and prevention tasks, negative feedback is more appropriate. • Ensure feedback is fair and seen to be fair.  Explain to employees how the information was gathered, highlighting why it is consistent, accurate, and unbiased. • Encourage managers to ask people what feedback they would find most helpful, both to involve them in the process and help make it specific in relevant ways. • Don’t push for very frequent or immediate feedback across the board. Encourage teams and managers to find the frequency and timing that works for them –monthly might be better than weekly, and immediate feedback might not always be the most helpful. • Managers should involve employees in a two-way conversation, rather than making feedback one-way, top-down communication. • Provide training on how to minimise biases and accurately use observations to inform feedback. 5- Ensure feedback enables behavioral change that is both strategic and impactful. You can find more recommendations and references in the doc attached. What best practices would you add to enable a feedback culture? ♻️ Repost to spread value. 🔔 or follow to read similar content.