Trust

A culture of continuous improvement needs a workplace where feedback can be respectfully given and respectfully received. For that to happen, you need trust. Trust that you have the best interests of each other and the organization at heart.

You can build this type of trust in your organization by giving gems not insults to your colleagues or employees. Give feedback in a respectful and earnest way.

When you have trusting candor in your organization, your team becomes solutions focused and each employee feels empowered and proud.

Realistically, there still may be times when your gem was received as judgment. In this case, don't give up. If you know what that person's MBTI profile is read up on how that personality type best receives feedback. If you don't know their MBTI, ask them as a gesture of your intention to better understand them so you can better deliver feedback next time. Reaching out in this way might even break the wall down.

It is important "to try to understand what has gone wrong, but don't lose faith in the principal of honest feedback as a whole - be brave enough to try it again."

Credit: Harvard Business Review: Love, Trust and Candor: Today's Management Priorities;
            Candor, Criticism, Teamwork