Building a Culture of Open Feedback: Netflix’s Approach and How to Emulate It

Netflix is not only famous for revolutionizing entertainment but also for its unconventional corporate culture.

Central to that culture is a strong internal feedback loop–a norm of candid, constructive communication that keeps the company agile and aligned.

Netflix’s former CEO Reed Hastings has even chronicled this in the book No Rules Rules, emphasizing how candid feedback and “no rules” management fuel innovation.

This report explores:

• What Netflix does to foster open and constructive feedback;
• How those practices function at different levels of the organization, and;
• Actionable recommendations for implementing such a feedback culture.

Netflix’s Feedback Culture: Key Principles and Practices

Radical Candor and Transparency

Candor is a central Netflix value: employees are expected to speak openly about what works and what doesn’t, and withholding constructive feedback is considered disloyal to the team. Leaders and employees regularly admit mistakes and share lessons learned–a practice known as “sunshining.” By openly surfacing errors, Netflix treats them as learning opportunities rather than failures to hide. This radical transparency helps problems emerge early and encourages shared learning across the organization.

No “Brilliant Jerks” – Trust and Respect First

Netflix builds its feedback culture on trust and psychological safety. As Reed Hastings states, “If you are promoting a culture of candor… you have to get rid of the jerks.” Individual brilliance does not excuse toxic behavior, and harsh personal attacks disguised as honesty are not tolerated. Feedback must come from positive intent and mutual respect, reinforced by norms such as only saying things about someone that you would say directly to their face. These expectations allow employees to be vulnerable, assume good intent, and treat constructive feedback as a routine part of work–what Netflix calls “extraordinary candor.”

Continuous 360° Feedback (Not Annual Reviews)

Netflix avoids traditional annual performance reviews, finding them too slow for a fast-moving business. Instead, it relies on ongoing, informal 360-degree feedback. A core tool is the “Start, Stop, Continue” exercise, where peers and managers share what someone should start doing, stop doing, and continue doing. This simple format keeps feedback timely and actionable, and it includes positive reinforcement that many traditional reviews overlook. Netflix initially allowed anonymous feedback but gradually shifted to signed–and often face-to-face–feedback as trust grew. By embedding feedback in everyday work rather than a yearly ritual, Netflix fosters continuous improvement and minimizes the anxiety associated with formal performance reviews.

Clear Feedback Guidelines – The 4A Framework

To help employees master candid feedback, Netflix provides a simple “4A” guideline (introduced by Hastings in No Rules Rules) for both giving and receiving feedback:

1. Aim to Assist - At Netflix, feedback must always come from a desire to help–not to criticize, vent, or advance personal agendas. Input should support the recipient’s or the company’s success and be delivered with positive intent. For example, instead of saying, “Your presentation was bad,” a Netflix employee might say, “If you adjust how you ask for input, it will better engage the international audience and strengthen your message.” This framing ensures feedback is understood as supportive, not personal.

2. Actionable - Feedback should target specific behaviors or decisions the person can change. Vague or personal comments are discouraged. Concrete guidance turns feedback into next steps. For instance, Hastings describes being told: “The way you asked for audience input resulted only in Americans participating. If you involve other nationalities, your presentation will land more effectively.” By focusing on clear adjustments, Netflix ensures feedback drives improvement rather than confusion.

3. Appreciate (Listen With Openness) - When receiving feedback, employees are expected to listen without defensiveness. Instead of immediately explaining or excusing, the first response should be appreciation–“thank you for helping me.” This reinforces honest input, keeps ego from blocking growth, and encourages a culture where people feel valued for speaking up. The result is a positive feedback loop: givers feel respected, and receivers stay open to learning.

4. Accept or Discard - Netflix recognizes that not all feedback will be acted on. Employees must take every piece of input seriously, but they choose whether to accept or discard it. After listening and thanking the giver, the recipient decides whether the advice is useful–without pressure to implement everything. This autonomy aligns with Netflix’s “freedom and responsibility” philosophy and encourages a high volume of candid feedback. Common themes tend to be adopted; one-off suggestions may be set aside. Either way, information flows freely and productively.

High Alignment, Minimal Control

Netflix strengthens its feedback culture by managing through context rather than control. Leaders share strategy, results, and key metrics broadly so employees understand the bigger picture and can offer well-informed input. Decisions follow an “informed captain” model: one person owns the call, but others are expected to contribute feedback and diverse perspectives, with managers acting as advisors–not gatekeepers.

This decentralized, non-hierarchical approach allows feedback to move freely up, down, and across the organization. Employees are encouraged to raise concerns or challenge ideas because independent thinking is valued over hierarchy or pleasing a boss. In short, open information and distributed authority create natural conditions where speaking up is expected and safe.

Implementation at Different Levels

Netflix’s feedback ethos is practiced at all levels of the organization – from entry-level employees up to the C-suite, and across teams. Here’s how it manifests:

Team-Level Practices

Netflix teams embed feedback into everyday workflows. Many hold retrospectives or post-mortems to discuss what went well and what could improve, and peers frequently offer real-time, informal input after meetings or projects. These exchanges follow the 4A guidelines (Aim to Assist, Actionable, Appreciate, Accept/Discard) to keep feedback helpful and respectful. 

“Start, Stop, Continue” sessions–done in groups or via shared documents–allow teammates, managers, and direct reports to give each other candid input. Because feedback is routine, small issues surface early, strong ideas rise quickly, and employees feel comfortable proactively asking peers, “What’s one thing I could have done better?” Teams also emphasize positive reinforcement to maintain morale alongside improvement.

Leadership and Upward Feedback

At Netflix, feedback flows upward as much as downward. Leaders model openness by asking, “How can I improve?” and by responding to tough criticism with gratitude, not defensiveness. Employees are encouraged to share concerns directly with their managers–even with senior executives or the CEO–without fear of reprisal, as long as the feedback is given respectfully. 

Leaders also “sunshine” their own mistakes publicly to demonstrate humility and normalize learning from errors. Frequent one-on-ones ensure there are no surprises about performance or expectations. Managers use the “Keeper Test” (“Would I fight to keep this person?”) to evaluate fit, and employees who might not pass it are given clear, candid feedback and a chance to improve.

Cross-Functional and Organizational Feedback

Feedback norms extend far beyond team boundaries. Because Netflix shares context widely–strategy, metrics, plans–employees across functions feel empowered to voice ideas or concerns, even outside their domain. Anyone can challenge an idea in a meeting, regardless of rank, if it’s done respectfully.

Cross-functional collaboration thrives because perspectives from customer service, engineering, marketing, and other groups are valued equally. Company-wide Q&As and all-hands meetings invite candid questions to executives. Post-mortems and “sunshined” memos are shared broadly so the entire organization can learn from mistakes. Netflix also recognizes cultural differences in candor and supports managers across regions in adapting while maintaining the expectation of honesty.

Reinforcing Feedback Norms

Netflix intentionally reinforces its feedback culture through hiring, onboarding, shared stories, and clear values. The company hires “stunning colleagues” who excel at collaboration, communication, and candor. New employees learn early that feedback is expected and that colleagues practice it openly. The Netflix Culture Memo formalizes norms like “Say only things about people you would say to their face” and “Be quick to admit mistakes.”

Meetings often include explicit invitations for dissent: “Does anyone see it differently?” Practices like applauding someone who voices an unpopular but valuable opinion reinforce courage and honesty. Performance and compensation are tied strictly to contribution, which transparency makes easier to evaluate. Underperformers receive candid coaching and, if needed, generous severance–ensuring the team remains high-performing. Together, these reinforcements keep Netflix’s culture of candor strong even as the company scales.

How to Implement a Netflix-Style Feedback Culture in Your Organization

Any organization can cultivate a stronger culture by borrowing from Netflix’s playbook – tailored to your own size, industry, and values. Below are recommendations, along with potential challenges and ways to overcome them:

1. Declare and Define Your Feedback Values

Make openness and feedback a core value–and explain why it matters. Employees need to hear from leadership that honest, constructive feedback is expected and appreciated. Use explicit statements, such as Netflix’s principle: “You willingly receive and give feedback; you are open about what needs to improve; you admit mistakes openly and share learnings widely.” Clarify that withholding important feedback is itself a failure of integrity because it allows problems to compound. Once the value is declared, leadership must model it consistently; preaching candor while reacting poorly to criticism will quickly undermine trust.

2. Provide Training on How to Give and Receive Feedback

Most people have never been taught how to give effective feedback, so offer training that introduces practical frameworks like Netflix’s 4A guidelines or Radical Candor. Emphasize constructive habits–focus on behaviors over traits, explain the “why,” and use role-playing to build comfort. Train receivers as well by coaching active listening, managing defensiveness, and expressing appreciation. Support this with tools such as a simple checklist (“Aim to assist. Be actionable. Listen with appreciation. It’s okay to disagree.”) so everyone has a shared language. When managers and employees practice these skills, feedback becomes a normal, low-anxiety part of work.

3. Lead by Example – Especially at the Top

Culture shifts only work when leaders model the behaviors they ask for, including publicly seeking feedback and accepting it with gratitude. When leaders admit mistakes or highlight when a junior employee corrected them, it normalizes vulnerability and shows feedback is valued, not insubordination. Leaders should also deliver feedback with clarity and empathy rather than harshness, as Netflix executives do by tying direct notes to shared goals rather than personal critique. Executive coaching can help leaders who struggle with this. Finally, enforce a no-jerk rule: even top performers must give feedback respectfully, or they risk damaging the culture.

4. Replace Rigid Annual Reviews with Regular Check-Ins

Many organizations–following Netflix’s lead–are replacing formal annual reviews with continuous feedback. Annual reviews often create anxiety, happen too infrequently to drive improvement, and turn feedback into a once-a-year ordeal. A continuous approach uses recurring check-ins, lightweight 360s, retrospectives, and real-time tools to keep coaching timely. This shift addresses issues when they matter and builds a culture where feedback is normal rather than a high-stakes event.

• Frequent 1:1s - Encourage managers to meet with direct reports monthly or bi-weekly for brief one-on-ones. Incorporate two questions every time: “What feedback do you have for me?” and “Here’s some feedback I have for you.” Making this routine normalizes two-way dialogue and ensures concerns or coaching points are addressed while still fresh. Over time, these conversations reduce fear and make feedback feel like part of everyday work.

• Lightweight 360 Surveys - Run simple 360-degree feedback cycles once or twice a year using “Stop, Start, Continue” questions to mirror Netflix’s method. Keep early rounds anonymous to build comfort, but plan to transition to attributed feedback for greater accountability and trust. Ensure these 360s are purely developmental–no rankings or ties to compensation–so the focus stays on growth, not scoring. The goal is to spark honest conversations rather than create performance labels.

• Team Retrospectives and Post-Mortems - Hold quick after-action reviews whenever a project, launch, or major effort concludes. Ask the team (including cross-functional partners) what worked, what didn’t, and what should change next time. Keep discussions focused on process, not blame, similar to the U.S. Army’s After Action Review and practices used at Pixar and Netflix. Document learnings, assign follow-ups, and share insights broadly so the whole organization can improve.

• Real-Time Feedback Tools - Use lightweight tools–such as feedback apps or Slack plugins–to make giving quick kudos or suggestions easy. These can prompt real-time messages like, “You handled the pricing question really well,” or, “Let’s consider adding a demo video to improve the pitch.” Tools should complement, not replace, face-to-face conversations, reinforcing an already candid culture. When used well, they help turn feedback into an ongoing day-to-day dialogue rather than a formalized event.

5. Foster Psychological Safety

A feedback culture only thrives when employees feel safe to speak up without fear of punishment or humiliation. Leaders must enforce zero tolerance for retaliation and consistently thank employees who surface issues or offer critical feedback. Managers should model calm, appreciative responses and redirect harsh or unfair critiques to maintain trust. Address behaviors that erode safety–such as bullying, condescension, or “brilliant jerk” tendencies–and set clear ground rules for respectful, behavior-focused feedback. Over time, consistent non-punitive reactions reassure employees that raising concerns leads to solutions, not consequences.

6. Balance Constructive Criticism with Positivity

To avoid feedback fatigue, ensure recognition and praise flow just as freely as critiques. Follow Netflix’s “continue” feedback approach and encourage shout-outs, meeting praise, and recognition programs to highlight what’s working. Research on healthy interaction ratios suggests people need far more positive reinforcement than negative feedback to stay motivated. Incorporate strengths into 360 reviews, retrospectives, and daily interactions so employees feel seen and appreciated. Celebrating examples where feedback produced real wins also helps distinguish constructive candor from constant criticism.

7. Adapt Practices to Your Organization’s Culture

Netflix’s style may not fit every workplace, so adapt the principles to your organization’s cultural norms, industry expectations, and regional differences. Some teams or countries may need more coaching to embrace candor, while others may prefer private or structured channels for upward feedback. Pilot new practices with receptive teams, gather input, and adjust tools or formats–whether anonymous surveys, app-based feedback, or face-to-face conversations. Stay mindful of legal constraints and morale when borrowing elements like Netflix’s severance policies. The goal is to preserve open dialogue while implementing it in ways that respect your company’s identity and employee comfort levels.

8. Address Challenges and Resistance Head-On

Expect skepticism, fear, or managerial reluctance when introducing a feedback-heavy culture. Counter fear by proving–through consistent actions–that feedback leads to improvement, not punishment. Coach resistant managers, set boundaries around what feedback should cover, and train employees to give evidence-based, unbiased input. Watch for potential bias or misuse in anonymous channels and reinforce professionalism in all feedback. Cultural change takes time, so celebrate small wins, treat missteps as learning moments, and keep iterating until trust grows.

9. Reinforce and Embed the Feedback Culture

To make the culture stick, integrate feedback behaviors into performance criteria, promotions, and leadership expectations. Share stories of how feedback prevented issues or drove improvements, and recognize employees who model candor well. Use ongoing pulse surveys to gauge comfort levels and adapt training, onboarding, and tools as your organization evolves. Guard against cultural drift–especially in fast-growing or remote environments–by continually reasserting the value of open dialogue. When employees routinely speak up, problems surface early, and ideas flow freely, feedback becomes a true competitive advantage.

Bringing It All Together

Netflix demonstrates how a culture grounded in candor, trust, and continuous feedback can elevate performance and innovation.

Many organizations that adopt similar principles see stronger engagement, faster improvement, and more inclusive idea-sharing.

The path isn’t one-size-fits-all, but the essentials remain: lead with openness, build feedback skills, replace rigid reviews with ongoing dialogue, and safeguard psychological safety. When feedback becomes something people value–not fear–teams grow faster and organizations stay more adaptable in a rapidly changing world.