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- A recent PwC study reported that only 12% of millennial women are satisfied with the quality and frequency of the feedback they receive
- Sandra Altine, Managing Director for Diversity and Inclusion at Moody’s, told me that to be useful, feedback must be: clear, specific, and focus directly on an individual’s strengths and development areas
A recent PwC study reported that only 12% of millennial women are satisfied with the quality and frequency of the feedback they receive . Why? For many women, the career and performance boosting benefits aren’t there for them as they are for men.
First, women are less likely to receive specific feedback tied to the outcomes of their work or specific guidance on what is needed to move their careers forward. Second, many executives face great challenges giving feedback to female employees coming up the line. That is because most executives are white males, and while white males are good at talking to and advising other white males, they are often afraid to give candid feedback to women.
In my own experience and with the many women I have worked with, tales of unhelpful and demotivating feedback abound. Some of the more egregious examples include, “You are not a team player” and “You have sharp elbows.” But even seemingly positive feedback like, “You’re doing great—keep doing what you’re doing!” is not useful as it is not specific and doesn’t point to a particular behavior.
Sandra Altine, Managing Director for Diversity and Inclusion at Moody’s, told me that to be useful, feedback must be: clear, specific, and focus directly on an individual’s strengths and development areas . But most importantly, in order for the feedback to be effective it needs to be provided frequently or just in time— not once a year. She also believes that more women getting constructive feedback will be one of the key drivers of change toward equal representation in the workplace.
While we can’t immediately change the systemic bias in the world of business that makes it less likely for women to receive clear and actionable feedback, there are concrete steps women can take to make the most out of the feedback they do receive and use these performance-related conversations as a launching pad for their careers.
Here are three powerful tips for driving the feedback conversation and using it to your advantage.
Lead the conversation. If you want to know how you need to improve, ask!. It’s rare for anyone to go into a job and be told, “Here are the five things you need to do to succeed,” and we all have to ask. Another major benefit of leading the conversation is that you can actively solicit feedback from the people that can influence your career. Seeking them out is a signal that you respect their opinion and are eager to grow and advance. That mixture of flattery and ambition will likely work in your favor, making them more apt to help you–especially if you are specific in the ways you want to grow and improve (see the next tip for more on that). What is more, the intimacy and vulnerability of the feedback process will strengthen your bond with the person giving you advice and make them more invested in your success.
Be specific about your goals. When you’re specific on what you want feedback on and why, people will have a better idea of what you need to improve and how they can help you. Tell them, “This is the roles I want to take on next. How do we make that happen? What is my gap?”
Push for more details. Never leave a performance review meeting, without fully understanding what, if anything, needs to change. Don’t accept platitudes. Yes, you may be a great employee but you’re not perfect. Ask them, “What will it take for me to get an ‘exceptional’ on my next performance review?”
