Reinforcement Patterns: How Leaders Can Create a Thriving Feedback Culture
 
🎙 Episode Title: Reinforcement Patterns: How Leaders Can Create a Thriving Feedback Culture 📅 Episode Number: 4 🎧 Host: Erin Merideth 🔗 Website: unlearningwork.com 
 
Episode Summary
In this episode of Unlearning Work, host Erin Merideth unpacks why feedback is so often avoided, feared, or misunderstood—and what leaders can do to shift that dynamic. Drawing from behavioral psychology, Erin explores how reinforcement patterns, loss aversion, and conditioned responses shape the way we give and receive feedback at work.
From recognizing team contributions to rethinking performance reviews, Erin outlines five key strategies to build a feedback culture rooted in growth, trust, and collaboration.
Whether you’re a manager navigating performance cycles or an employee looking to give better feedback to peers, this episode offers practical tools to make feedback feel less intimidating and more empowering.
 
Key Topics Covered
✅ Why Feedback Feels So Challenging


How past experiences shape our reactions to feedback


Why our brains are wired to avoid negative stimuli


The impact of loss aversion on workplace communication


✅ The Cost of Outdated Feedback Habits


Why annual reviews alone don’t support growth


How fear-based cultures discourage open feedback


The silent effect of ambiguous reinforcement in teams


✅ Five Research-Backed Strategies for Giving Better Feedback


Recognize contributions—regardless of outcome


Celebrate progress fueled by feedback


Encourage peer-to-peer feedback for trust and collaboration


Reinforce small wins to create lasting behavior change


Avoid feedback that only shows up when something goes wrong


 
Episode Takeaways
🔹 Feedback is a leadership behavior—not a one-time event. 🔹 Reinforcement matters: Recognizing effort builds trust and motivation. 🔹 Creating psychological safety leads to better communication and stronger teams. 🔹 Small feedback habits, when repeated, drive cultural change across an organization.
 
Join the Conversation!
🎯 What’s one piece of feedback that helped you grow as a leader or teammate?💬 Share your reflections with us on social media or in the Unlearning Work Community.🔗 Visit unlearningwork.com to dive deeper into tools and resources that support effective feedback.
 
Subscribe & Stay Connected
📲 Download the Unlearning Work App for easy access to leadership tools, habit trackers, and new episodes.📥 Get Exclusive Insights via the Work Reimagined Newsletter.🎧 Subscribe to the Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite app.⭐ Leave a Review if you found this episode valuable—it helps others find the show!📲 Follow Erin Merideth on Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIN for more practical tips on leadership and behavioral change.
 
📢 Next Episode Teaser: Stay tuned for the next episode, where we’ll explore how to Break old habits at work!

Ver todos los episodios