How To Establish a Feedback Culture That Builds Trust Instead of Destroying It | Jen Recla

Feedback can feel awkward, whether you’re giving it, receiving it, or wondering if it’s even worth it when nothing seems to change. But without a strong feedback culture, your team won’t grow, and you’ll keep running into the same issues. Today, Jen Recla is back to break down what psychological safety actually looks like at work, how to make feedback feel useful instead of personal, and the biggest mistakes leaders make when trying to create an open culture.

 

 

Ever asked for feedback, only to hear crickets? Or worse, your team gives input, but nothing changes? That’s a fast track to disengagement, and today we’re talking about why.

In this episode, Jen Recla joins me to break down what it really means to build a psychologically safe workplace, one where people feel comfortable speaking up without fear of judgment or backlash.

 

We’re covering:

✅ Why candor is not the first step in building trust, it’s actually the result
✅ How to get useful feedback from your team (instead of vague, unhelpful responses)
✅ The biggest mistake leaders make after asking for feedback—and how to fix it
✅ Why anonymous feedback can backfire if you haven’t built trust first
✅ The simple framework for giving meaningful recognition that actually lands

Plus, we discuss why some companies avoid using Radical Candor (and what to do instead), how to navigate negative feedback without spiraling, and why your team stops giving feedback if they don’t see action.

Key Takeaways:

• Feedback isn’t just about asking, it’s about acting on it so your team knows it matters.
• If you don’t have a psychologically safe workplace, anonymous feedback might not give you the full picture, it could just open the floodgates.
• Recognition isn’t one-size-fits-all. Learning how your team prefers to receive praise makes it more impactful.

 

Social Media CTA:

Let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram and let me know, what’s the best (or worst) feedback you’ve ever received?

Guest & Additional Links:

• Connect with Jen Recla
  
• Books Mentioned:
  • The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmondson
  • Radical Candor by Kim Scott
  • Thanks for the Feedback by Sheila Heen & Douglas Stone
• Jen’s Workshop on Feedback Culture