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How to Receive Feedback Without Getting Defensive | #77 episode artwork

Feb 19, 2026 16 min

How to Receive Feedback Without Getting Defensive | #77

from The Better Conversations Podcast Hosted by Kara List

How to receive feedback without getting defensive, spiraling, or shutting down — especially as a leader. If you want a strong feedback culture, better workplace communication, and emotionally intelligent leadership, this episode is for you. In this episode, I cover: • Why receiving feedback is harder than giving it • How to ask your team for feedback • The identity trigger, truth trigger, and relationship trigger • How to respond instead of react • How to build a healthy feedback culture at work • Practical leadership communication tools If you're a people manager, team leader, or executive who wants confident leadership and better conversations at work, this will help you build the muscle of receiving feedback with curiosity instead of defensiveness. Book referenced: Thanks for the Feedback by Sheila Heen & Douglas Stone. Apply for the Better Conversations Accelerator → https://www.heykaralist.com/BCA Subscribe for weekly leadership coaching on feedback, hard conversations, and building thriving workplace cultures.

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How to Receive Feedback Without Getting Defensive | #77

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This episode was published on February 19, 2026.

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