How to Lead with Kind Candour: Lessons from Kate Thrumble on Balancing Feedback and Culture
As leaders, we’re often told to “give feedback”, “listen more”, “care about our people” – while also driving performance, managing change, and keeping up with never-ending targets. But how do we actually do both? How do we build a high-performing culture without burning people out?
In this week’s episode of The extra-Ordinary Leader, I speak with Kate Thrumble, SVP, Head of People and Experience at VaynerMedia, about how to do just that. Kate shares a powerful framework used inside one of the world’s most creative agencies – something they call “balancing the honey and the empire”. And it’s game-changing.
We talk about kind candour – the art of being direct without being damaging. We explore the role of feedback, connection, people-first culture, and the shift from annual reviews to continual conversations. Kate’s metaphor of “being the kindling, not the log” has stayed with me – a humble, honest way to spark greatness in those around you.
Whether you manage a team of two or two hundred, this episode is packed with practical, human-centred advice.
If you're struggling to find the balance between care and candour, culture and commercial goals, this one's for you.
Inside This Episode:
What extra-Ordinary leadership really means
Why the "little things" done consistently create the biggest impact
The relationship between happiness and high performance
Feedback as a normal rhythm, not a big scary ‘thing’
The shift from annual reviews to quarterly check-ins
Using tools like Insights Discovery and coaching styles to build culture
Creating ‘spring-like’ businesses where people thrive
The art of kind candour and Dolly’s feedback analogy of the lob, the loiter and the lasso
How Kate defines the role of experience in people leadership
Being the kindling, not the log – a beautiful metaphor for modern leadership
Mentions & Links:
Listen now, and as ever, if anything lands with you or you'd like to explore these ideas further, I’d love to hear from you.
