Fastcompany iconFastcompanySep 2, 2026

Why leaders struggle with negative feedback

Years of psychological research show that leadership—the ability to coordinate collective human activity to turn a group of people into a high-performing team or unit—can be effective only if leaders are capable of providing people with constructive feedback. This means telling them what they need to hear to improve their performance, especially when it is not what they want to hear to boost their egos.

Why leaders struggle with negative feedback

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This means telling them what they need to hear to improve their performance, especially when it is not what they want to hear to boost their egos.

Years of psychological research show that leadership—the ability to coordinate collective human activity to turn a group of people into a high-performing team or unit—can be effective only if leaders are...

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This means telling them what they need to hear to improve their performance, especially when it is not what they want to hear to boost their egos. Years of psychological research show that leadership—the ability to coordinate collective human activity to turn a group of people into a high-performing team or unit—can be effective only if leaders are capable of providing people with constructive feedback.

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  • Years of psychological research show that leadership—the ability to coordinate collective human activity to turn a group of people into a high-performing team or unit—can be effective only if leaders are...

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