Welcome to Leadership Insights! Each week, we curate transformative leadership insights and add our own expertise to help you lead with purpose and impact. Whether you’re a seasoned executive or an emerging leader, you’ll find actionable wisdom in every edition.
So.. it’s deep winter and cold outside. Which to me means it’s time to focus on learning. 😊 Let’s talk about something that might sting a little, but in the best possible way. You think you’re good at receiving feedback; we all think that. But here’s the blind spot: feedback filtering. We unconsciously sort feedback into “valid” and “invalid” categories based on who delivers it, how it’s delivered, or how it makes us feel.
This week, try “feedback archaeology”—dig into the feedback you’ve dismissed. What patterns emerge? Often, the feedback that stings most contains the truth we need most. Great leaders don’t just receive feedback; they actively mine it for gold.
This Week’s Posts We Love
LinkedIn Spotlight by Kristina Holle
This quote stopped my scrolling. Kristina Holle’s reflection brings it straight into the leadership moment we’re all navigating. Confidence matters, but unchecked certainty can quietly shut down curiosity, dialogue, and truth. The leaders who make the biggest impact aren’t the ones with all the answers—they’re the ones who can sit with uncertainty and genuinely listen. So I’ll ask it here too: where might your need to be right be getting in the way of what your team really needs to say?
Image- From LinkedIn Group
Click Here to Check Out The Full LI Post
Podcast Spotlight: “The High Price of Silence: Why Leaders Can’t Afford to Avoid Conflict” from the Resilient Leadership Podcast
This week’s podcast pick tackles something many leaders feel—but don’t always name: the cost of staying silent. In this episode of the Resilient Leadership Podcast, Irvine and Bridgette unpack how avoiding conflict may feel easier in the moment, but slowly erodes trust, morale, and performance. What I appreciate most are the practical tools they share for addressing issues early and communicating with clarity.
Check Out the Full Episode Here
Book of the Week
Thanks for the Feedback by Sheila Heen & Douglas Stone
This week’s Book of the Week is Thanks for the Feedback—because let’s be honest, receiving feedback is often harder than giving it. The authors unpack why feedback hits us the way it does and offer practical tools to respond with curiosity instead of defensiveness. It’s a powerful reminder that growth isn’t just about what we hear, but how we choose to listen. Be sure to check it out– I would love to hear your thoughts!
Must-Read Article of the Week
“How to Give and Receive Constructive Feedback at Work” by Jacquelyn Adams
This week’s article is staying on theme– tackling how to receive feedback. Jacquelyn Adams does a great job breaking down why giving and receiving feedback feels so uncomfortable—and how leaders can turn it into a tool for growth instead of defensiveness. We chose this piece because it normalizes the discomfort and offers practical ways to build a healthier feedback culture at work.
From the CARE to Lead® Archives
Managing Up, Down, and Across: The Dance of Bilateral Adaptation
This week’s “archives” pick dives into a reality many leaders know all too well: managing up, down, and across—often at the same time. This blog explores why leadership isn’t a one-way street and how “bilateral adaptation” can turn power struggles into more human, effective collaboration. We chose it because navigating competing expectations is still one of the hardest (and least talked about) leadership skills. When you feel caught in the middle, take a few minutes to read this and reflect on how you’re adapting, and where you might need to adapt differently.
Closing Thoughts
Thanks for the great feedback we’ve been getting on both our content and our insights. We genuinely appreciate it! I know this one takes courage, but you’re already demonstrating that by being here and growing your leadership. The feedback we resist often contains the insights we need most. What dismissed feedback might actually be pointing you toward your next breakthrough?
Thank you for being part of our leadership community. We’re dedicated to helping you lead with Clarity, Authenticity, Responsibility, and Engagement. Until next week, keep raising the bar on your leadership journey!
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