S3 EP016: Study Case – Feedbacking Without the Bullshit: How to Get Real Insights That Drive Growth

The Leadership Nest Podcast | S3 EP016: Study Case – Feedbacking Without the Bullshit: How to Get Real Insights That Drive Growth

[00:00:00] Introduction

Taty Fittipaldi: In this episode, we’ll learn about effective feedbacking and how to turn vague comments into real insights that drive growth. I’ll share a study case about Robin, a newly promoted leader who struggled with confidence and dismissed corporate feedback as meaningless quote unquote bullshit.

Because of this mindset, she wasn’t getting the validation or clarity she needed to succeed in her role. We’ll explore how she redefined feedback, learned to ask the right questions, and used it as a tool to strengthen her leadership presence. Hopefully, you can leverage her experiences and insights to help you achieve your own goals.

Hello and welcome to the Leadership Nest Podcast, the podcast that nests stories, knowledge, and science to soar the leadership in you. This program is brought to you by Coaching Expatriates, and I am your [00:01:00] host, Taty Fittipaldi. In this season, we are taking an exciting turn. Season three will focus on study cases, real life stories, and progress of global leaders as they hone a key leadership skill.

Each episode will highlight the challenges, breakthroughs, and lessons that shaped their leadership journey, giving you practical insights to elevate your own path. Whether you were a seasoned executive, a first time manager, or an aspiring global leader, these stories will inspire, inform, and guide you to achieve greater impact in your role.

[00:01:38] Today’s Story

Today’s Story: Today’s story.

Taty Fittipaldi: Robin was in the middle of a career transition when, out of nowhere, she was promoted to a much bigger role during a company reorganization. While this might sound like a [00:02:00] dream opportunity, for Robin, it felt overwhelming. She didn’t feel ready. On the surface, she had all the skills and experiences, but internally, her confidence was shaken.

One major roadblock?

Her belief that corporate feedback was useless, what she called quote unquote feedback bullshit. She was convinced that people in corporate settings only gave vague, generic, and politically correct responses, making feedback sessions a waste of time. Because of this belief, she avoided seeking feedback altogether, which created a big problem: without knowing how others perceived her performance, she had no validation, no external markers to reinforce that she was on the right track. The more she avoided feedback, the more self-doubt grew. And here’s something many leaders don’t realize. The [00:03:00] higher up you go, the less feedback you receive, unless you ask for it.

Unlike earlier in your career, where feedback is given freely, at executive level, people assume you already know what you’re doing. This was a reality Robin hadn’t yet come to terms with, and it was hurting both her confidence and her ability to lead.

Readiness for help.

Robin was ready to get help, but there was a challenge. Her limiting beliefs were deeply rooted. She wanted to feel more confident in her new leadership role, but she didn’t believe feedback would actually help her. She saw coaching as a way to navigate her transition, but wasn’t entirely sure how to make use of it.

She chose to work with me because she knew I had experienced coaching leaders who were transitioning into executive roles. She believed I could help her, not just to [00:04:00] manage the responsibilities of her new role, but also develop a mindset and presence needed to succeed at this level.

Her biggest fear was being found out as an imposter.

She worried that if she started asking for feedback, people would see her struggles and question whether she deserved the role in the first place. Her internal narrative was spiraling. She was telling herself, I’m not cut for this, or they made a mistake promoting me and sooner or later they’re going to realize, I have no idea what I’m doing.

But here’s the thing. Her internal narrative was affecting everything. Her confidence, her presence in meetings, and even how she’s structured her work. She was second guessing herself so much, that it was impacting her ability to lead with authority.

Her resolution.

To [00:05:00] rebuild her confidence, we had to start with two things:

number one, reframing her mindset about feedback.

Number two, developing strategies to actively seek meaningful feedback.

We kicked off with a simple but powerful exercise. I told Robin, let’s flip the script. Right now I’m your coaching vendor, and I need real feedback on the work we’ve done together so far.

At first, her response was quick and vague. Something along the lines of, ” yeah, it’s been good. It’s been helpful.” So, I pushed her further. ” Okay. But what exactly has been helpful? Can you give me specific examples?”

She thought for a second, and gave a slightly more detailed response, but I kept going. ” If you could change one thing about our sessions, what would it be? What part of our work has had the [00:06:00] biggest impact on your leadership? How has it changed the way you approach your new role?”

Each time, I challenge her to go deeper, to be more specific, to reflect on the details that really mattered.

After we wrapped up, I asked her, ” so, does this feedback feel like bullshit to you?” She laughed and said, “no, actually, it feels pretty useful.” And that’s when the light bulb went off. She realized that the quality of the feedback depends on how we ask for it, how we guide the conversation, and how we engage with what’s being said. Feedback isn’t automatically useless. It becomes meaningful when you make it meaningful.

We then created a feedback playbook: a set of strategies for asking for and receiving better feedback. Some of these included: asking open-ended, [00:07:00] specific questions; requesting concrete examples; paraphrasing; responses to check understanding; following up for clarity; summarizing key takeaways.

By experimenting with these techniques, Robin began collecting real, valuable insights from her colleagues. And guess what? The feedback she received was overwhelmingly positive. Not only did people believe in her capabilities, but they also recognized that she was still learning and saw her effort as a sign of strong leadership, not weakness.

With this shift, her confidence skyrocketed. And with more confidence, came stronger executive presence, better decision making, and a new found ability to navigate her leadership role with clarity.

We also worked on reframing her internal narrative. Instead of, I don’t belong [00:08:00] here. She began telling herself, I’m learning, I’m growing, and I have what it takes to succeed.

And that mental shift made all the difference.

Results.

Robin’s transformation was incredible. As she applied her new feedback strategies and changed her internal narrative, everything started clicking into place. She was no longer overthinking every move. Instead, she was proactively gathering insights, refining her approach, and leading with confidence. At her interim performance review, she exceeded expectations! Something she never would have thought possible when we first started.

And most importantly, she felt good about her leadership. She wasn’t constantly doubting herself or waiting for the moment someone would quote, unquote, find her out.

Instead, she knew [00:09:00] she was exactly where she was supposed to be. Robin’s biggest takeaway? She realized that our internal narrative shapes our external realities. The stories we tell ourselves, either empower us or hold us back.

For Robin, coaching was the key to popping the bubble she had trapped herself in. It helped her step outside of her limiting beliefs, see reality for what it was, and lead with the confidence she already had inside of her. She just needed to uncover it. And, perhaps, the biggest lesson of all? When we get promoted, it’s not just our job title and salary that needs to level up. Our mindset needs to level up too.

You are listening to the Leadership Nest Podcast, the podcast that nests stories, knowledge, and science to soar the leadership in you, with [00:10:00] your host, Taty Fittipaldi. If you are ready to take your leadership storytelling to the next level, check out my book, Mastering Business Storytelling, How Global Executives Can Craft and Tell Impactful Stories that Inspire, Influence, and Drive Success in Business. It’s packed with practical insights to help you make a lasting impact. Available now. Grab your copy today.

[00:10:24] Today’s Lesson

Today’s Lesson: Today’s lesson.

Taty Fittipaldi: Imagine stepping into a bigger role, unexpectedly, during a company reorg. You know you’re capable, but doubt creeps in. That’s normal. And that was Robin’s reality. She lacked confidence and was stuck in an internal narrative that told her feedback was just corporate fluff, useless, meaningless, and not worth her time. But as she soon [00:11:00] discovered, the way we engage with feedback changes everything.

Key takeaways from Robin’s story.

One of Robin’s biggest breakthroughs was realizing that feedback isn’t just something you receive, it’s something you shape. By actively guiding feedback conversations with the right questions, she stopped seeing it as vague or performative. And instead started using it as a tool for clarity and growth.

She also learned that the higher you climb in leadership, the less unsolicited feedback you get. If you don’t ask for it, you won’t get it. And if you don’t get it, you risk making blind decisions about your own performance, reputation, and career trajectory.

But the most important shift, Robin rewrote the story she was telling herself. Instead of seeing herself as someone who had been thrown into a role she wasn’t ready for, she started [00:12:00] seeing herself as a leader who was learning, growing, and taking charge of her own development.

Leadership learnings you can apply.

If you’re a leader, especially one stepping into a new role, here are some lessons from Robin’s journey that can help you thrive.

Number one, feedback is only as useful as the questions you ask. Instead of passively accepting whatever comes your way, take control. Ask specific questions like, what’s one thing I’m doing well that I should double down on? What’s one area where I could improve? Can you give me an example of where I demonstrated this skill you are referring to? And this could be for a skill or attribute given during feedback.

Number two, your internal narrative shapes your external presence. If you believe you are not ready for a role, you’ll act accordingly. If [00:13:00] you see yourself as a capable leader, one who learns and adapts, you’ll start making decisions with confidence.

Number three, don’t wait for feedback to come to you. The higher you go, the less direct feedback you receive. It’s on you to seek it out, clarify it, and use it as a leadership tool.

Her message for global leaders.

Robin’s story is one many leaders can relate to. Whether you’re transitioning into a new role, managing a high stakes project, or simply looking to grow in your career. The way you see feedback matters. If you treat it as an afterthought, it won’t help you.

But if you approach it with curiosity and intentionality, it becomes one of the most powerful tools in your leadership arsenal.

So, the question is, how are you engaging with feedback in your leadership journey? Are you [00:14:00] shaping the conversation or letting your doubts shape you?

Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Coaching Expatriates, a leading global executive development company that helps leaders around the world create happier and more profitable workplaces, using the four success pillars in global leadership, an innovative leadership learning methodology. Visit their website at www.coachingexpatriates.com.

[00:14:31] Today’s Tips To Apply What You Learned

Today’s Application: Today’s tips to apply what you learned.

Taty Fittipaldi: Have you ever dismissed feedback as corporate fluff? Robin did, and it nearly cost her confidence in a high stakes leadership transition.

But once she reframed her mindset and took control of how she asked for feedback, everything changed.

Now let’s break down some actionable [00:15:00] steps you can use to apply these lessons in your own leadership journey.

Tip number one, ask better questions to get better feedback. Instead of waiting for vague responses, guide the conversation. The more specific your questions are, the more useful the insights. Try asking. What’s one thing I do exceptionally well that I should keep doing? Can you give me an example of a time I handled something effectively? What’s one skill I could develop to have a bigger impact? By shaping the conversation, you ensure feedback is clear and valuable.

Tip number two, challenge your internal narrative. Your self perception affects how you show up. If you believe you’re unprepared and unqualified, that’s the energy you bring. Reframe your story. Instead of, I don’t belong here, or I can’t do this well, shift to, I’m learning, growing, [00:16:00] and adding value.

Tip number three, seek feedback proactively. The higher you climb, the less unsolicited feedback you’ll receive. Make it a habit to check in with your peers, mentors, and overall leadership. Map key stakeholders and ask for feedback. Schedule quarterly feedback conversations, or ask for insights after big projects.

By using these tips, you can turn feedback into a leadership tool. One that strengthens your confidence and helps you grow with purpose.

[00:16:39] Highlights

Highlights: If you have any questions you’d like us to answer in the future episode of the show, just go to speakpipe.com/TatyFittipaldi or click the link in the show notes below to leave us a brief audio message. Make sure [00:17:00] to visit us on our website, www.leadershipnest.com, where you can subscribe to our show anywhere podcasts are streamed so you never miss a show. While there, if you find value in our show, you can also subscribe to our Global Leadership Weekly newsletter from Coaching Expatriates, where we deliver bite-sized lessons on global leadership, decision-making, and cultural competence to help you learn how to think, relate, and strategize in a whole different way as a global leader. If you like the show, you might want to check our online global executive leadership program, a nine week leadership development and learning system that will help you lead internationally, while making financially conscious and impactful decisions. Taty Fittipaldi is also available for private coaching.

See the website for more details at www. Coaching [00:18:00] expatriates.com/executive-coaching. Thanks for joining us this week on the Leadership Nest Podcast. Be sure to tune in next week for next episode. Until the next time, keep nesting. Wherever you are in the globe, this is Taty Fittipaldi wishing you a beautiful day.