I had to pop into your inbox and share some powerful, eye-opening research about what so many high-achieving women face in the workplace. It really sheds light on something that’s been lurking in the shadows for too long: the type of feedback that top-performing women receive, and how drastically different it is from what men hear.
76% of high-performing women receive negative feedback in performance reviews. Compare that to only 2% of men, and it paints a pretty stark picture.
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But here’s what makes this even more frustrating: most of the feedback women get is focused on their personalities rather than their actual work. In fact, 88% of the critical feedback directed at women is about how they act, rather than what they accomplish. Only 12% of men ever receive these kinds of remarks, which shows how gender bias continues to shape professional dynamics​. Check out this graphic from the study.
Let’s be real—feedback is supposed to help us grow, right? Yet for many women, it’s turned into something that holds us back. This feedback isn’t constructive or geared toward real improvement; it’s vague and often personal, like telling someone they’re “too emotional” or “not approachable enough.” It’s the kind of feedback that chips away at confidence rather than builds someone up. No wonder 40% of these women are considering leaving their jobs because of it! This is heartbreaking, especially since these are women at the top of their game​.
What about you? Have you ever received this type of feedback or been on the receiving end of your BFF venting about her experience?
I see this all the time as a leadership and executive coach specializing in women’s leadership.
It’s one of the many reasons I created the Rise and Lead Women’s Leadership Accelerator.
BIG NEWS!!!! I’m opening the doors to applications for this transformational program for the first time in 3 years.
The truth is when we internalize this kind of feedback, it can seriously impact how we see ourselves and our potential. I’ve worked with countless women who’ve shared how these subtle (and not-so-subtle) jabs at their personalities made them question their abilities and worth. Imagine being told time and again that something about you is the problem, not your work, not your output—just you.
It’s exhausting and completely unfair.
If this message is resonating, I’d be honored to be of service to you as your coach with the Rise and Lead Women’s Leadership Accelerator. You can apply to learn more about the program here and attend an upcoming information session, a powerful video session that is accessed only via application. You’ll love it!
Sending you so much love and encouragement as you rise to your full potential,
P.S. I can’t think of any context where this bias is showing up more than in the election here in the US. The needle that VP Harris is having to thread is ruthless, especially compared to her male counterpart. What a wild time to be alive!
GO HERE to apply for Rise and Lead so you can confidently rise to new levels of leadership!
P.P. S. If you live in the U.S. you have your plan to vote, yes? If you’re not sure if you’re registered, don’t have a voting plan, or need help of any kind go to www.iwillvote.com.
(Source of the study: https://textio.com/feedback-bias-2024)
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