Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa
Source - Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa
Why It Matters
When feedback is clear, respectful, and timely, it becomes a driver of trust—not tension.
By creating a shared language and approach to feedback, organizations can build stronger relationships, improve accountability, and foster a culture of continuous growth.
Interested in having Kara host a workshop for your team? Reach out for availability today.
Quotes from this workshop:
“Kara leads a thoughtful, well-rounded discussion that provokes deep introspection into personal preferences and tendencies related to receiving and giving feedback in a way that doesn’t feel stale or boring.”
“At the end I chatted with her one on one about how to deal with anxiety and other mental health hurdles while giving feedback. She was able to help me have a comprehensive understanding of why I may be feeling that way. She not only took it as giving/ receiving feedback in a general way, but she related it to the challenges that come with being a woman, managing other people’s feelings, being a people pleaser etc. I appreciated that level of depth.
She was extremely helpful to me! Great speaker.”
“I think just validating that feedback is hard and necessary from an external, unbiased perspective was valuable and provided us with some common language. I gave my name tent to my leader so that she could see what my processing style, motivators and demotivators were along with a suggested action item so that we can continue the conversation!”
“I thought she was super engaging and I liked that she had examples for us to work through as well!”
“The takeaways that I have from this training with Kara are going to help me in the conversation I'm going to have with my Supervisor. She touched on so many areas that resonated with me that gave me the confidence to have necessary discussions with those I work with.”
Building trust through clear, actionable feedback - May 2026
Overview
Fifth Season Consulting partnered with Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa to deliver a workshop titled “Clear is Kind: Feedback that Builds Trust, Clarity & Ownership.” The session focused on equipping teams with practical tools to both give and receive feedback in a way that strengthens relationships and performance.
The Opportunity
Feedback is often misunderstood or avoided in the workplace. Teams commonly experience:
Fear of conflict when giving feedback
Defensiveness or confusion when receiving it
Lack of clarity around expectations and performance
Without the right approach, feedback can feel personal rather than developmental—leading to disengagement instead of growth.
Approach
The workshop introduced a structured, practical framework for feedback centered on trust, clarity, and ownership.
Key elements included:
Reframing feedback as real-time, behavior-based communication for growth
A clear feedback framework incorporating role clarity, expectations, and ongoing development
Interactive scenarios to practice applying feedback in realistic workplace situations
Emphasis on shared responsibility—feedback is not just a leadership function, but a team skill
Participants also explored what makes feedback challenging and how to approach it with curiosity rather than avoidance.
Impact
Attendees gained:
A practical framework for giving clear, actionable feedback
Greater confidence in navigating difficult conversations
Tools to improve alignment, communication, and team trust
The session reinforced that clear, timely feedback reduces confusion and strengthens team performance.