Ep.17 The Feedback Minefield: How Leaders Build Trust (or Destroy It)

In this episode of The Agile Couple Podcast, Leanne and Kevin McManus dive into one of the most misunderstood — and mishandled — topics in the workplace: feedback TAC Feedback Edit Why is it that so many organizations ask for feedback… but struggle to actually hear it? From biased expectations and poorly framed surveys to the credibility damage caused by ignoring input, we unpack the hidden minefields leaders step into when they request feedback without clarity, humility, or follow-through. We explore: *Why leaders often have a preconceived idea of what they want to hear *How asking for feedback without context creates confusion (and frustration) *The importance of intellectual humility when feedback doesn’t align with expectations *Why trust isn’t built in a “big bang” moment — it’s built through visible action *The danger of sending out surveys where the evaluator is also the one being evaluated *How retrospectives and feedback loops only work when you actually act on them *Cultural differences and personality dynamics that influence how feedback is delivered Most importantly, we talk about how to package feedback around process improvement and shared objectives — rather than personal attacks — so it becomes constructive instead of destructive. If you’ve ever felt like: *You’re not getting honest answers *You’re getting answers you don’t like *Or your team has stopped engaging in feedback altogether This conversation is for you. At the heart of Agile — and healthy organizations — is trust, transparency, and continuous improvement. Feedback is not a one-way street. It’s a loop. And if you break the loop, you break credibility. 💬 Have thoughts on feedback culture in your organization? Drop a comment below and let us know what you’d like us to explore next. #AgileLeadership #FeedbackCulture #ContinuousImprovement #LeadershipDevelopment #TheAgileCouple