You gave the feedback. You agreed on the next steps. You even wrote it down.

So why is your direct report acting like it never happened?

In this episode of People Are the Worst, Lucy and Lindsey dive into one of the most frustrating patterns managers face: when someone receives clear, thoughtful feedback but somehow, nothing changes.

Whether it’s passive resistance, people-pleasing, or a lack of psychological safety, the reasons someone “forgets” feedback are rarely surface-level. We talk about:

• Why “nice” employees often resist feedback more than difficult ones
• The neuroscience behind competing commitments and why good intentions still lead to bad follow-through
• How to use language that creates clarity and accountability (without micromanaging)
• The difference between feedback and norms, and how to align your team on both
• Why “I must help if someone asks” is wrecking your team’s productivity
• The subtle ways feedback avoidance shows up in remote team dynamics

Plus: real scripts, tactical tools, and stories that show how to move from “we talked about it” to “we did something about it.”

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the “we’ve already talked about this” loop, this episode will give you the clarity, confidence, and language to break the cycle.

Want to Ask Us a Question? We’re taking real questions from real managers and people leaders. Email us at dearlandl@elevateleadership.com, and we just might feature yours in a future episode.

Learn more about our solutions at https://www.elevateleadership.com/

Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseynehls/

Connect with Lucy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-georgiades-84933622/

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