Introducing the GAIN framework for feedback: an evidence-based approach to giving feedback that people love, appreciate, and act on

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In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why we struggle to give tough feedback

• How “start with the Goal” flips defensiveness into motivation

• Why great feedback names Actions and Impacts, not judgments

• How acknowledging your contribution disarms resistance

• Scripts that make tough conversations feel collaborative

• A framing that helps preserve ambition and psychological safety

• A Stanford-tested “wise feedback” sentence that boosts follow-through

• The 3 Ws framework to lock in change

• A live case study: a VP uses GAIN to unwind a founder’s micromanaging habit

Listen now: YouTube | Apple | Spotify

References:

• Amy Edmondson

• “Breaking the cycle of mistrust: Wise interventions to provide critical feedback across the racial divide”

• Brian Martin

• Carol Dweck

• Cycle of conflict or cycle of connection?

• FeedbackGPT

• “Framing for Learning: Lessons in Successful Technology Implementation”

• How to become a supermanager with AI

• How to motivate …