What The Feedback - by Kim Baker (Paperback)

About the Book

In WTF? What The Feedback, workplace mediator Kim Baker guides you across the bridge from fear-driven feedback to feedback that fuels results.

Book Synopsis

We've all had that moment.

A feedback conversation that left us confused, frustrated, defensive, or silently thinking, "WTF-What The Feedback?!" Whether you're a leader, manager, team member, or individual contributor, feedback can feel intimidating. It can trigger fear, spark emotion, and shake even the most confident professional. And yet... Feedback is the single most powerful accelerator of growth, trust, and performance in the workplace.

In WTF? What The Feedback, workplace mediator and performance expert Kim Baker guides you across the bridge from fear-driven feedback to feedback that fuels clarity, confidence, and results. This is a practical, field-tested framework built from decades of experience in global training, talent development, conflict resolution, and team performance.

Inside, You'll Learn How To:

✔ Identify the Five FEARS that hold you back from giving feedback

✔ Recognize the emotional triggers that make receiving feedback feel threatening

✔ Understand the difference between appreciation, coaching, and evaluation

✔ Move from passive or aggressive habits to assertive, high-impact conversations

✔ Use a proven, practical process to give feedback clearly, calmly, and constructively

✔ Build both skillpower and willpower-the combination required for real performance improvement

Feedback-rich cultures don't just "communicate better." They move faster, align smarter, and perform stronger.

If you're ready to stop dreading feedback conversations...

If you want practical tools instead of vague encouragement...

If you want to turn awkward moments into growth catalysts...

It's time to move from WTF-What The Feedback?! to WOW-The Feedback That Moves Performance.

Work Better, Together.

Review Quotes

"This is an excellent tool for all managers and supervisors to read prior to giving feedback to employees. There are many individuals that have never had to have these conversations with employees and this book is a great resource. It is an easy read that a person can refer to often for help. I wish we would have had this type of resource years ago." - Sharon A. Facchin, retired V.P. of Human Resources MECS

"I read WTF? What The Feedback with surprise at how much I needed improvement in both giving and receiving feedback. The book caused me to become more introspective regarding my methods of giving and receiving feedback and has already helped me improve. I strongly recommend this book to all levels of corporate America." - Jeffrey Hunt Mantel, Ph.D., Executive Director, Technology, Wells Fargo Charlotte, NC

"WTF? What The Feedback is one of the most comprehensive, human, and genuinely actionable guides to feedback I've ever read. It breaks down the emotional realities of feedback - the fears, the triggers, the stories we tell ourselves - with honesty and empathy, while giving readers the practical frameworks they need to become confident and skilled communicators. The COIN model alone is worth the price of the book, but the real magic is in the author's ability to connect skillpower and willpower, helping readers move from awareness to action. This book doesn't teach a 'feedback script.' It teaches a mindset, a process, and ultimately a culture. Whether you're a senior leader, a new manager, or a team member who simply wants better conversations, this book will elevate how you communicate and lead. It's the bridge from fear to fuel, and it delivers on that promise beautifully." - Judy K. Scheffel, Ed.D., Senior Vice President, CPO, Governance, Operations, Analytics & Transformation (GOAT), Bank of America

"Feedback is one of the biggest trust builders. It can also be a trust breaker if not done well. This book is a handy guide to help with the will and skill of giving great feedback. All leaders and managers (and frankly everyone that wants relationships with other people) should read and apply the concepts, processes, and tools in this book." - Jeanet Wade, Expert EOS Implementer and author of The Human Team: So, You Created a Team But People Showed Up!

"As someone who works closely with business owners, executives, and sales leaders, I see firsthand how poorly-delivered feedback can stall growth and damage trust. WTF? What the Feedback addresses that reality head-on. Kim doesn't just explain why feedback matters. She gives leaders a practical roadmap for how to do it well, even when conversations are uncomfortable. The frameworks are clear, actionable, and grounded in real-world leadership dynamics. This is the kind of book that lives on a desk, not a shelf, because leaders will reach for it before important conversations." - Matt Boisclair, Founder & President, Clear Woods Sales Pathways, LLC