Episode 192: Tracy Letzerich (VP of People, Wheel) on building a feedback culture

Watch to our recent episode with Tracy Letzerich, Vice President of People at Wheel.

We discussed why feedback is the lifeblood of organizational progress, why Wheel is ditching the annual performance review, and why every manager should start keeping feedback journals with their team.

If you don't have time to listen, read the highlights below. ??

1. Building a Feedback Culture is a Journey ???

Tracy highlighted that creating a feedback culture is an ongoing process. "This isn't a one-time implementation. It's something we will continually develop as an organization," she noted. Her recommended steps are:

1?? Create Awareness: Highlight the need for change and the pain points holding the organization back.

2?? Foster Desire: Encourage individuals to want to change by explaining the benefits and importance of the change.

3?? Provide Knowledge and Ability: Offer training and resources on how to change effectively.

4?? Ensure Accountability: Hold people accountable for making the changes.

5?? Continuous Reinforcement: Keep reinforcing the new behaviors to prevent reverting to old habits.

2. Ditching the annual performance review ??

She shared her experience with moving away from annual performance reviews.

"I've had moments where I cringe before saying we're not doing annual reviews, expecting backlash," she admitted.

Surprisingly, most people are thrilled about the change, though some need to hear it multiple times for it to sink in. "Shifting from expecting a formal review annually to receiving continuous feedback through feedback journals is a big mindset change."

She reflected on the irony of people hating performance reviews but feeling dependent on them. "It's normal to cling to the familiar. Removing something known and replacing it with something new feels scary, and there's natural resistance."

Despite the challenges, Tracy is encouraged by the progress. She shared a story about a manager and a high-potential leader on the product team who struggled to connect. "After coaching them on effective conversations, a month later, they were in the zone. The employee felt empowered and excited about her career journey, and the manager improved at providing feedback."

To support this transition, Wheel conducted company-wide training. "We trained all leaders on how to give feedback, and now we're training everyone on how to receive and ask for feedback. We're all in this together," Tracy concluded.

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3. Wheel introduced the employee feedback journal ??

After realizing their current 1x1s weren’t cutting it, Tracy and the team at Wheel introduced the "employee feedback journal."

Here’s the deal: the typical one-on-one agenda still covers the usual suspects like accomplishments, ongoing projects, and decision-making needs. But now, leaders are asked to dedicate time—at least once a month—for focused feedback discussions.

This feedback is a two-way street. Leaders ask questions like, "Are you getting what you need from me?" and "How am I doing as your manager?"

Tracy stressed that leaders need to model this behavior and ensure they're delivering effective feedback. "We built that into the one-on-one, and we're seeing exciting progress," she said.

Leaders are using the feedback journal, and the organization is holding them accountable to make sure this practice sticks.

Tracy's definition of a Modern People Leader ??

"A modern people leader is on a mission to transform HR into a strategic engine for business performance, moving away from the notion of HR as a cost center. They are tenacious, possess significant business acumen, and genuinely care about the individuals within the company."

The career advice Tracy would give to her 22-year-old self ??

"I would tell my 22-year-old self: Tracy, listen to your intuition. Trust it and unapologetically be your unique self. Do not listen to who others say you should be. Just be your unique self."

Go listen to the full episode: Apple | YouTube

See you next week!

P.S. We’re pumped to share some exciting updates for MPL Live coming up this September in Austin, Texas! Featured speakers include Gianna Driver (Chief People Officer @ Lattice), David Hanrahan (Chief People Officer @ Flare), and Jessica Zwaan (Author of Built for People)! Tickets are $249, but the first 10 people to respond to this email will get a 50% discount code. Don’t miss out! ?????