11 Skills AI Will Never Replace: Skill #7 Feedback

Welcome to The Learn-It-All Podcast’s 11 Skills AI Will Never Replace-- our 11-part special series exploring the essential human skills that AI cannot replicate. With the start of the new year, we’re all facing unprecedented technological disruption and workplace transformation. To help you thrive in this new landscape, we’ve leveraged a study from MuchSkills that analyzed data from 28,000 professionals to identify the capabilities that will make you irreplaceable in an AI-enhanced workplace.    

Each week, dive deep into one critical skill, providing you with actionable strategies, expert insights, and Learnit’s proprietary frameworks to future-proof your career. This series isn't just about adapting to change – it's about mastering the unique human abilities that will define leadership success in the age of AI.   

The Art of Feedback: How Leaders Can Transform Performance Through Better Conversations

Are your feedback conversations falling flat? Many leaders struggle to deliver feedback that drives real behavior change and improves performance. This episode reveals a proven framework for giving feedback that people will actually hear and act on.

On this episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, Damon Lembi and guest Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins explore the critical skill of giving and receiving feedback effectively. Drawing from their extensive leadership experience, they break down the psychology behind feedback conversations and share practical techniques for making feedback more impactful, including how to avoid common pitfalls like the outdated "feedback sandwich" approach.

This Episode Covers:

Why framing feedback conversations properly is crucial for reducing defensiveness and increasing receptivity
The importance of focusing on observable behaviors and specific examples rather than opinions or hearsay
How connecting feedback to organizational goals helps remove the perception of personal attacks
Why public praise isn't always effective and can backfire even with positive feedback
A simple three-step framework (Frame, Observe, Results) for structuring feedback conversations
How leaders can create psychological safety by modeling vulnerability when receiving feedback
The critical difference between giving feedback on job-related behaviors versus personal preferences

About Damon Lembi:   

Damon Lembi is a 2x bestselling author, the host of The Learn-It-All Podcast, and CEO of Learnit – a live learning platform that has upskilled over 2 million people. Drawing from his prior baseball career, Damon brings an athlete’s perspective to leadership. Through his journey, he has gained invaluable insights into what helps organizations grow, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competitors every time.    

About Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins   

Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins is a dynamic leadership development expert who serves as a Leadership and Professional Development Facilitator at Learnit. With a PhD in Leadership in Higher Education from Northcentral University focusing on middle manager self-efficacy, her expertise spans performance management, program development, and equity initiatives, while her high-energy approach has proven effective in leading teams across educational institutions and technology companies.   

Resources Referenced:

MuchSkills    

The Learn-It-All Leader: Mindset, Traits, and Tools by Damon Lembi   

Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade by Robert Cialdini Ph.D.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant

Tom Willis on the Learn-It-All Podcast

02.05.2025

From Command & Control to Systems Thinking: A New Approach to Leadership Effectiveness

Are you tired of trying to change your team's mindset or "fix" people's attitudes? What if there was a more practical approach to creating lasting change in your organization?

In this episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, Trevor Timbeck, co-author of "The Power of Systems," shares how shifting from psychological interpretations to systems thinking can transform leadership effectiveness. Drawing from his journey from computer science to leadership coaching, Trevor explains why focusing on concrete actions and systems rather than mindsets leads to better results.

This Episode Covers:

Why attempting to change people's mindsets often fails and what to do instead
How traditional "command and control" leadership actually demands obedience rather than inspiring change
The power of shifting from having answers to asking better questions as a leader
Why systems aren't just mechanical processes but can be organic and adaptive
How to create lasting organizational change without relying on willpower or self-discipline
The importance of building supporting systems rather than trying to maintain habits through force
Why there's nothing wrong with you or your team - it's about finding better systems

Episode Highilghts:

00:01 – The Shift from Psychology to Systems Thinking – Why most self-improvement advice focuses on the individual rather than the systems around them.

05:02 – Trevor’s Leadership Journey – How moving from computer science to sales to coaching changed his entire perspective on leadership.

12:31 – The Power of Asking Questions – Why great leaders don’t need to have all the answers—just the right questions.

19:45 – Breaking Free from the ‘Need to Be Right’ – How systems thinking helped Trevor improve his marriage, leadership, and approach to problem-solving.

28:30 – How Systems Create Lasting Change – Why focusing on small, practical system changes works better than trying to change mindsets or habits directly.

32:38 – Overcoming Barriers to Change – Why people struggle with sustaining new habits and how to design systems that support long-term success.

46:06 – Applying Systems Thinking in Leadership – How leaders can foster accountability, adaptability, and problem-solving in their teams.

About Trevor:

Trevor Timbeck is a leadership coach and author who combines technical expertise with transformational leadership principles. After earning an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University, he built a diverse corporate career spanning IT, marketing, and sales at companies including TD Bank, 3M, BlackBerry, and Sun Microsystems. As SVP of Sales, he managed $40M in revenue before transitioning to Chief Talent Officer after experiencing the impact of professional coaching. He co-authored The Power of Systems with Steve Chandler and holds a Professional Certified Coach designation from the International Coaching Federation. Trevor specializes in helping leaders shift from command-and-control approaches to systems-based leadership, leveraging his unique blend of technical innovation (including a patent for mobile content distribution) and emotional intelligence.

Resources Referenced:

The Power of Systems: How to Create a Life That Works by Trevor Timbeck and Steve Chandler

Trevor’s Website