If your team struggles to give honest feedback, the problem may not be a lack of courage or skill; often, it’s uncertainty about whether feedback is truly welcome. Even experienced employees will hesitate if they don’t think their input will be well received. The best way to shift the dynamic is to create a culture where people ask for feedback first. Here’s how.
Teach people how to ask. Vague prompts like “Any feedback?” rarely produce helpful input. Show your team how to ask specific, targeted questions tied to learning goals—for example, “What’s one thing I could improve in that pitch?” or “Where did my approach cause friction?” Embed this skill into onboarding, training, and daily workflows.
Model asking at the top. Leaders should consistently seek feedback and respond constructively. When employees see their leaders ask early and often—and act on what they hear—they normalize curiosity and lower the perceived risk for others.
Recognize and reward asking. Highlight examples of thoughtful feedback-seeking. Celebrate it in debriefs, performance reviews, and promotions. When asking is seen as a sign of strength, not weakness, it becomes contagious.
Embed asking into routines. Build structured moments for feedback into your team’s regular habits. Use recurring prompts, rituals, or check-ins that make asking for input part of how work gets done. |
