23. Navigating Challenging Feedback with Lindsay Rothfeld

In this episode, we’re hearing from Stuck in Community Time Out. Our letter deals with a community builder who presented some negative feedback, along with ideas for improvement in someone else's community, but was shut down by the founder.

To better help Stuck in Community Time Out, I invited Lindsay Rothfeld as my guest expert. From scaling ambassador programs and live events to launching community platforms and lifecycle campaigns, Lindsay has spent the last 10 years building spaces where users feel connected, empowered, and excited to contribute.

So, tune in for valuable tools and tips for approaching challenging feedback in your community with empathy, transparency, curiosity, and kindness.

In this episode:

(03:48) The communitea: Stuck in Community Time Out’s letter

(05:54) One of Lindsay's own experiences handling negative feedback in her community

(10:22) Leading versus moderating and the real enemy of positivity

(12:30) Valuable practices and tools to help you respond and not react to feedback

(20:34) Reframe what challenging feedback means to you

(23:11) To remove or not remove posts, and how to go about it with transparency

(27:05) Having an entrepreneurial mindset can get in the way of your community

(30:36) How to masterfully approach those sharing negative feedback

(33:57) Ways removing posts can backfire

(36:30) The truth about today's letter

(41:00) Giving community members the space and tools to give feedback

Watch on YouTube

Resources Mentioned:

🎧 Get the  next advanced-level mindset work in Dear Bri Episode 20 with Charmaine Jennings.

🎤 Continue down the rabbit hole of tough conversations in your community with Dear Bri Episode 11 with Mallory Contois.

🎙️ Learn all about a framework for  thinking about the troublemakers in your community with

Dear Bri Episode 7 with Andrea Middleton.

❤️ Sign up for Heartbeat. Bri’s recommended all-in-one community platform.

💛 Join Ember. The place for go-getter community creators building community-powered businesses.

Noteworthy quotes

“If you're not looking to be a self-reflective individual, community leading is for sure not the right career or practice for you." - Lindsay Rothfeld

“Your No is just as valuable to your members as your Yes. Because it shows them that when you say No, it reinforces and helps us trust your Yes so much more." - Bri Leever

Lindsay Rothfeld

Lindsay Rothfeld is the Head of Community at Kira Learning, an AI-powered education technology platform for K-12. Before that, she was the Senior Community Engagement Manager at Docusign. From scaling ambassador programs and live events to launching community platforms and lifecycle campaigns, she has spent the last 10 years building spaces where users feel connected, empowered, and excited to contribute.

🖥️ Website

📱 LinkedIn

Bri Leever

Bri got her start building a community and growing it to a multi-million dollar revenue stream for a social enterprise in Portland, OR. Now, she supports folks used to running their business on content, coaching, and consulting to create their community offer. She's a Community Strategist by day and a Campervan host by night on the Big Island of Hawaii and you'll usually find her on, in, or under the water.

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