About this episode
If you’re a premium subscriber, add the private feed to your podcast app at add.lennysreads.comIf feedback is a gift, why does it often feel so difficult?In this episode, we break down executive coach Jack Cohen’s evidence-based GAIN framework - a simple, memorable way to give feedback that actually lands.Whether you manage a team or want to nudge a peer, this is a step-by-step playbook for feedback that strengthens relationships, drives behavior change, and leaves people feeling supported and motivated to change.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 habitReferences:• Amy Edmondson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycedmondson/• “Breaking the cycle of mistrust: Wise interventions to provide critical feedback across the racial divide”: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-28213-001• Brian Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-e-martin-50575a2b/• Carol Dweck: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-dweck-4618236/• Cycle of conflict or cycle of connection?: https://speakerdeck.com/jackcohen/cycle-of-conflict-or-cycle-of-connection• FeedbackGPT: https://maven.com/p/6f79f8/feedback-gpt-give-feedback-people-thank-you-for• “Framing for Learning: Lessons in Successful Technology Implementation: https://www.notion.so/27d43d3a2709810a9f8de040eea2b01a?pvs=21”• How to become a supermanager with AI: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-become-a-supermanager-with• How to motivate your team for free: https://actio
