Improving Feedback with Feminist Concepts

🔍 Gender Differences in Feedback at Work: What We Need to Know 🔍 Feedback is crucial for growth and development, but did you know that the way feedback is given—and received—can differ significantly between genders? Understanding these differences is key to creating a fair and supportive workplace. 🌟 What the Research Says: Feedback Tone 🎯: Studies show that 66% of women receive feedback focused on their personality traits, compared to only 1% of men (Harvard Business Review, 2023). Men, on the other hand, are more likely to receive direct, constructive criticism related to their skills and performance. Personality vs. Performance 👥: Research indicates that women are 2.5 times more likely than men to receive feedback that is vague or less actionable (McKinsey & Company, 2023). This often includes comments on their communication style or likability, rather than their actual job performance. Impact on Career Growth 🚀: The disparity in feedback can significantly affect career progression. Women who receive less actionable feedback are 20% less likely to be promoted into leadership roles (Lean In and McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace Report, 2023). 💬 How to Address It: Be Specific and Actionable ✍️: Whether you’re giving feedback to men or women, focus on specific behaviors and outcomes. Offer clear, actionable steps for improvement to ensure it’s constructive and beneficial. Awareness and Training 🧠: Encourage awareness about these biases in your workplace. Training managers to give balanced, objective feedback can help reduce gender bias and support equal development opportunities. Encourage Open Dialogue 🗣️: Create a culture where feedback is seen as a tool for growth, not criticism. Encourage employees to ask for clarification and examples, ensuring they understand how to improve. 🌍 The Bigger Picture: Addressing gender differences in feedback isn’t just about fairness—it’s about unlocking the full potential of your team. When everyone receives the feedback they need to grow, we all win. Let’s work together to create an environment where feedback is fair, balanced, and truly helps everyone succeed. #WorkplaceEquality #GenderBias #FeedbackMatters #InclusiveLeadership #CareerGrowth

🚨 Why Men Get Coached as Leaders and Women Get Scolded Like Schoolgirls Here are 5 pieces of feedback ambitious women hear on repeat - the “Greatest Hits” album of performance reviews: 1. “You need to be more assertive.” 2. “You’re coming across a little too aggressive.” 3. “You should soften your tone.” 4. “You need to work on being more collaborative.” 5. “You’ve become too intense.”     Now, here’s what men get in the exact same situations: 1. “Take more ownership.” 2. “Push harder for your ideas.” 3. “Drive decisions faster.” 4. “Be clearer with your vision.” 5. “Get even more visible.”     Same behavior. Different translation. Because feedback for women is rarely about performance. It’s about how comfortable you make other people feel. For men, feedback is about outcomes. For women, it’s about personality. This is how people are socialized... Boys are praised for taking space. Girls are praised for keeping harmony. Those childhood scripts show up decades later in performance reviews, disguised as “development feedback.” The problem is: too many women drown in this feedback. First they doubt themselves: “Maybe I am too much.” Then they blame the system: “It’s all bias.” Then they surrender: "This is as far as I go.” That spiral helps no one! You cannot rewire an entire culture overnight, but you can reframe the way you hold the feedback. 💡 Here’s how: 1. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰.    When you hear “too aggressive,” ask: “Can you give me a concrete example?” Nine times out of ten, they can’t. That tells you it’s perception, not performance.     2. 𝗔𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀.    “I hear you. My intent was to push the team to deliver by deadline, that’s what drove Q3 results. Was that the concern?”    Redirect from how you came across to what you achieved.     3. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀.    If they say “be more collaborative,” ask: “What does that look like in practice?” Don’t adjust blindly. Get them to set the bar. They usually don't know how it looks like)     4. 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲!    Men don’t make feedback an existential crisis. They strip the one useful line, dump the rest, and move on. So should you.     🔥 Feedback doesn’t define your capability. It defines someone else’s comfort zone. Your job is to take it, decode it, and turn it into leverage. 👉 Want to learn how to turn vague, biased feedback into clarity, authority, and career momentum instead of letting it chip away at your confidence? Join our signature program – From Hidden Talent to Visible Leader https://lnkd.in/djbPtKuE 🌍 It’s a global cohort; you can join from anywhere, anytime. Perfect if you’re short on time: flexible, on-demand content, 2 recorded group coaching calls, and unlimited support through WhatsApp. 👊 Because the trap isn’t the feedback itself, it’s believing it defines you.

I once sat in a performance review where a female colleague received feedback like, "You need to soften your tone in meetings." Meanwhile, her male counterpart got advice about honing his skills in digital marketing to drive better results. This wasn't an isolated incident. Women are often given feedback on their style—how they speak, how they present themselves—while men are given feedback on their skills and performance. This difference is subtle but significant. When we tell women to adjust their style but don’t offer specific, actionable guidance on improving their roles, we hold them back from real growth. It sends the message that success is about fitting in rather than developing the skills that actually move the needle. The impact? Women miss out on critical opportunities for advancement. They don't get the feedback they need to improve in measurable ways while men are groomed for the next significant role. We need to change this if we want to see more women in leadership. It starts with giving women the same actionable, skill-based feedback we offer men. Instead of vague critiques, we need to focus on growth areas tied to business outcomes. For example, rather than saying, "You need to be less direct," say, "Deepen your analytics knowledge so we can optimize our strategy." Clear, actionable feedback empowers women to build the expertise they need to move forward. It’s how we help them close performance gaps, earn promotions, and contribute to the organization's growth. We all have a role to play in this. Giving women the feedback they need isn’t just about helping them—it’s about strengthening the entire team and creating a more equitable workplace. What’s one way you can provide actionable feedback today? Tired of watching women get vague feedback that holds them back? Subscribe to the ELEVATE newsletter for no-nonsense advice on giving women the feedback they need to grow, thrive, and lead—because it's time we start getting real about progress. https://elevateasia.org/

She’s just… unlikeable. Ever heard that in a performance review? A 2024 study analyzing 23,000 reviews just exposed the ugly truth: High-performing women aren’t just judged. They’re judged differently. -“Unlikeable” – 4x more likely to describe women -Emotional” – 7x more likely -Abrasive” – 3x more likely -Bossy” – Almost always used for women And the kicker? Men with the same traits? They’re called leaders. So today, on International Women’s Day, let’s get real: -Women are told to be more confident—then called “too aggressive.” -Women are told to lead—then labeled “difficult.” -Women are told to speak up, then told they’re “too much.” This isn’t just unfair. It’s bad for business. -Women leave quietly. -Companies lose top talent. -Bias kills innovation. So, what’s the fix? 🛑 Stop blaming women for how they show up. Fix the system that’s pushing them out. 5 Data-Backed Fixes: -Ban Biased Feedback – No more personality critiques. -Use AI for Screening – Catch bias before it spreads. -Structured Reviews – Focus on metrics, not opinions. -Train Leaders Differently – Assess behaviors, not personalities. -Audit Everything – What gets measured gets changed. -Better feedback = Stronger teams = Higher performance. -International Women’s Day isn’t just about celebration. It’s about change. If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of this, drop a 🔥 in the comments. ♻️ Share because it can help others ➕ Follow me for more unfiltered truths about building something that matters. Olga Alcaraz Source: Textio Performance Review Language Study (2024)

Have you ever been told you are too quiet? Maybe you don’t speak up enough so, “people worry about your leadership skills.” Or, you don’t advocate enough for yourself so, “you aren’t taking control of your career like a natural born leader.” If so, this article is for you. Maybe you’ve received feedback that there is concern over your analytical skills and “quant chops.” Or, there is some general, yet vague, feedback that leadership worries, “you lack that killer instinct.” Or, maybe it’s the opposite and you are “too bossy” or “too opinionated.” Have you heard any of these things?  I have over my career. Instead of letting them control my path, I got upset, then angry, then curious. I decided that none of these descriptions were really a good read on me, or my leadership potential, and I decided to change the perception. You can too. I’ve interviewed hundreds of women in senior leadership over the years and one thing is clear: we’re navigating a constant push and pull. Be strong, but not too strong. Be likable, but not too soft. Show your ambition, but don’t make anyone uncomfortable. Women aren’t just doing the job, they’re doing the extra work of managing how they’re perceived while they’re doing the job. We wrote this piece for HBR because it’s important for women to know how to not only subvert stereotypes and shape how others see them, but to do it without losing themselves in the process. Too many of us think there is nothing we can do when we hear feedback that doesn’t feel quite right. Sometimes, there are actions we can take. I love this piece so much because it says we don’t have to be victim to the stories about us or around us, we can do something about it.   1️⃣ Craft a counternarrative – Instead of internalizing biased feedback, reshape how people see you by aligning your strengths with what the organization values (on your terms!). 2️⃣ Use positive association – Enthusiasm and future-focused language can subtly shift others’ assumptions  and build trust. 3️⃣ Turn feedback into power – Don’t immediately accept or reject it, investigate it. Use it to understand what success looks like in your environment, and then find authentic ways to express that in your own leadership style. So if you’ve ever felt like your success depends not just on what you do, but how you’re seen…you’re not imagining it. Especially in times of economic uncertainty and shifting priorities, it becomes even more pronounced. And while there are no one-size-fits-all strategies, when women take control of their story, they open doors for themselves AND others. Let’s stop contorting ourselves to fit outdated models. We can rewrite the models themselves. Let me know what you think. https://lnkd.in/gcCSE7XW Colleen Ammerman Harvard Business Review Lakshmi Ramarajan Lisa Sun

“You need to be more assertive.” But when she is, she hears things like: “She’s too much.” “She’s aggressive.” “She needs to soften her approach.” This isn't a personal branding issue. It’s a systemic leadership dilemma—and women leaders are caught right in the middle of it. Research backs this up clearly: According to Catalyst’s influential study “The Double-Bind Dilemma for Women in Leadership” (2007), women leaders consistently face conflicting expectations: - They're penalized for being assertive, labeled as “aggressive” or “abrasive.” - But if they're warm and collaborative, they're often dismissed as less competent leaders. - They're walking a constant tightrope, navigating between being respected and being liked—something their male counterparts rarely encounter. As an executive coach, I've witnessed this repeatedly: Women leaders receive feedback to "speak up and be assertive" only to later be criticized for "coming across too strong." This double bind is not just a “women’s issue.” It’s a systems issue. Organizations need to ask: Why is assertiveness only problematic when it comes from a woman? Until the workplace evolves, women leaders will need tools — not just talent — to navigate this space. But, remember, you can’t control others’ biases — but you can strategically manage your influence. Here are some tips: - Name the Pattern – Awareness is power. Recognize the double bind when you’re in it, so you don’t internalize the feedback as a personal flaw. - Own Your Presence – Confidence is not volume. It’s clarity. Practice speaking with conviction and emotional intelligence. Use anchoring phrases like, “Here’s what I’m seeing…” or “Let’s clarify what success looks like…” — language that signals leadership without triggering stereotypes. - Calibrate Without Shrinking – Adjust tone and delivery as needed, but don’t dilute your message to be more "likable." That’s not leadership. That’s performance. - Build a Feedback Inner Circle – Not everyone’s opinion deserves the same weight. Get feedback from trusted allies who understand your values and leadership vision. Leadership is beyond being universally likable. Leadership is about making an impact—being authentic, credible, and effective. If you’ve ever held back your voice or felt this double standard at play, what word captures how that moment made you feel? Type one word in the comments: Frustrated | Invisible | Conflicted —or share your own. And if this resonates with you, share it with your network. Follow Duygu Alptekin Gürsu, M.A., MCC, ACTC for more insights. #ExecutiveCoaching #WomenInLeadership #InclusiveLeadership #AuthenticLeadership #DoubleBind #LeadershipBias #AssertiveNotAggressive #DuyguAlptekinGursu

Women face harsher feedback than men. Fix it before you lose talent. Data you can’t igore as a Leader (Textio & Stanford): → 76% of women receive negative reviews. Men? Just 2%. → Women are 22% more likely to get personality critiques. → 56% of women are labeled “unlikable.” Men? Only 16%. → High-performing women face the same bias as low performers. → Women internalize bias 7x more than men. As a result, it’s causing your best talent to leave. How to fix it: 1/ Structure Every Review → Standardize criteria and ditch “gut feelings.” → Focus on measurable outcomes. → Document specific examples to ensure fairness. 2/ Upgrade Your Leadership Team → Conduct bias-detection workshops. → Practice feedback calibration with leaders. → Review patterns to catch unconscious bias early. 3/ Monitor Feedback → Track reviews by gender. → Compare personality vs. performance comments. → Standardize practices across managers. When to start? Your next review cycle. How?  → Use structured tools like Waggle AI to eliminate bias. → Waggle AI help structure feedback & monitor your unconscious bias in meeting. Because talent doesn’t have a gender and neither should your reviews. 👉 Repost to raise awareness about bias in feedback. 👋 Follow Sarah Touzani for actionable leadership insights.

76% of high-performing women receive negative feedback. Only 2% of high-performing men face the same. These were the figures of the most stunning research I have seen this year. Feedback isn’t fair and it’s not accidental. The feedback gap is how gender dynamics create leadership blind spots (and what research reveals about fixing it) Last month, a tech VP pulled me aside after a workshop: "I've been told I'm too direct for six years straight. My male peer uses identical language. He's been promoted twice." This isn't just unfair. It's costing companies their best talent. The feedback trap works in four specific ways: 1. The competence/likability trade-off ↳ When you display leadership traits, you're labeled "aggressive" ↳ Research shows women internalize these labels 7X more than men ➤ Action: Record the next five meetings. Note who gets interrupted and whose ideas get credited properly. 2. The personality vs. performance divide ↳ Your reviews focus on "how you make others feel" ↳ Men's reviews focus on "what they accomplished" ➤ Action: Before your next review, submit a one-page accomplishment document with measurable outcomes. 3. The invisible labor penalty ↳ You perform 40% more emotional management work ↳ Yet performance systems rarely measure this contribution ➤ Action: Track your "invisible work" for two weeks. Present it as strategic relationship-building in your next discussion. 4. The confidence interpretation gap ↳ When you express uncertainty, it's seen as "lack of knowledge" ↳ When men do the same, it's viewed as "thoughtful consideration" ➤ Action: Practice the phrase "I've analysed several approaches" before sharing concerns. A CMO I coached discovered this pattern in her team. She implemented structured feedback templates. Within six months, promotion rates for high-performing women increased 34%. Retention improved by 28%. Three moves that work for my highest-performing clients: 1. Request specificity ↳ When given vague feedback, ask "What specific behaviour would you like to see instead?" ↳ 89% of the time, it reveals the bias wasn't even conscious 2. Build your evidence bank ↳ Include specific metrics and outcomes ↳ Share it monthly with decision-makers, not just at review time 3. Form a feedback circle ↳ Create a trusted group of 3-4 peers who exchange honest observations ↳ Focus exclusively on behaviors and outcomes, not personality ↳ Use this as your reality check against biased formal feedback The most successful women I coach don't just absorb feedback. They transform it. What feedback pattern have you experienced? ♻️ Repost to help women leaders navigate the feedback gap ➕ Follow Florence Divet ☀️ for more leadership insights 📌 For more practical tips on leadership, join my free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/ePitBSZv