Mindful Leadership Advocate | Helping leaders live & lead with awareness and empathy | 13+ years in fast-paced agencies | Follow for practical leadership insights
“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
Fear doesn’t create trust, it breeds silence.
So true. In web design, the same applies if clients or team members can’t share honest feedback, the final product suffers. I’ve found that the best websites are built when trust is prioritized over ego. We can’t design for users if we’re afraid to speak up about what’s not working. Safe space = strong results.
True feedback happens when the quiet tension in the room shifts to a space where people can breathe without holding back, Julia.
You don’t have a feedback culture if people have to filter the truth to keep their jobs.
This one hit. I’ve seen too many cultures that say they value feedback, but punish the people who give it. The gap between permission and protection is where most teams get stuck.
Truth bombs everywhere. Feedback without safety is just silence in disguise. Leading with listening is the real culture shift.
So true Julia Laszlo A feedback culture is built in the moments you choose to listen because true leadership is about listening, not just responding.
Real feedback culture isn’t about saying it on paper... it’s about making people feel safe to speak up. Listening with openness and protecting honesty is the real leadership flex here. Julia Laszlo
If people can’t breathe around you, they can’t grow around you. This post nails it.
Founder at Empowering Consulting Group | Empowering Minds, Igniting Growth | Entrepreneur, Visionary, and Business Alchemist | Consultant @GoldmanSachs | Ex-Army Medic (US)
1moFeedback isn’t risky when trust is real.