How to give the gift of feedback, with Katie Ceccarini

🎧 Three reasons to listenMake feedback less scary and more useful – learn why most feedback triggers defensiveness and how to avoid itGet a practical framework you can use immediately – mindset, relationship, and deliveryHandle difficult conversations with confidence – be honest and direct without damaging trustEpisode overviewIn this episode, Dan and Pia are joined by Katie O’Brien Ceccarini, leadership coach and author of Fearless Feedback, to tackle one of the most challenging aspects of leadership: feedback.They explore why feedback often creates fear and resistance—and how to reframe it as a constructive, human conversation.Katie shares her Fearless Feedback framework, focusing on mindset, trust, and practical delivery, helping leaders move from awkward, avoided conversations to clear, confident, and growth-oriented dialogue.Memorable moments“No, I’m not.” – Katie’s honest story of being labelled defensive (while feeling embarrassed internally)The finding that 90% of people don’t want to hear “Can I give you feedback?”The “food in your teeth” analogy for why feedback should be timelyA powerful reframe: “Feedback without action is criticism.”The shift from analysing the past to co-creating what happens nextPractical takeawaysStart with mindset: Go in believing you are helping the person succeedDitch the word “feedback” in the opener: Lead with what’s in it for themUse the three-part framework:Mindset → why you’re saying itRelationship → trust and safetyDelivery → clarity and structureMake it a conversation, not a monologue: Ask questions and co-create next stepsFocus forward: Spend less time analysing what went wrong, more time on what to do nextCreate accountability: Agree follow-ups and shared responsibilityAct quickly: Don’t wait—feedback loses value when delayedKatie's’s media recommendation📖 Still Human: How to Build Organizations Where Leaders and Teams Thrive with AI A timely exploration of how to maintain humanity, connection, and leadership impact in an AI-driven worldBioKatie O'Brien Ceccarini is the Founder of Endurance Management Coaching, a Certified Executive Coach, and author of Fearless Feedback: Everything Managers Have Never Been Taught About Feedback.At 22, she began managing her first team with no handbook, no roadmap — just botched conversations and stretched-thin moments every leader knows too well. That experience is exactly why she wrote this book: not to give theory, but to give managers what actually works.Over 20 years, she's managed, trained, and developed thousands of people — from scaling Customer Success at Yelp to leading Learning & Development at Opendoor. She's taught her Fearless Feedback Mastery course on Maven since 2022, earning a 4.8 out of 5 rating.Today she works with organizations like eBay, LinkedIn, and AllState to build high-performing teams with the power of feedback.LinksFearless FeedbackStill human