If you’ve been following the Corporate Catwalk on this blog, you know how much I love wrap dresses (like this one, that one, and oh that one too…). So I was head over heels when I saw this summery, easy Topshop crepe wrap dress from Nordstrom.
I absolutely love the flattering silhouette of this dress, accented by comfy dolman sleeves and a customizable tie belt. The V-neck is modest, and perfect for any wrk occasions. It’s $80 at Nordstrom.
Picture this: Bob’s giving a presentation, and is doing a particularly terrible job at it. As he steps into the men’s bathroom during a break, Bill pats him on the shoulder and tells him: “ You’re doing a terrible job, dude. Looks like you’re trying to take off, so much your hands are all over the place. Stop gesturing so much!” Bob takes Bills advice, goes back into the conference room, and does a much better presentation. Now picture the same conversation in the ladies’ room between Mary and Sondra. What do you think Mary would think upon receiving the same piece of advice from Sondra?”
This simple, but compelling example, was given by Pepsico CEO Indra Nooyi at the Women in the World Summit in New York last April 2016. As you can imagine, the remainder of her address had to do with how women receive and give feedback at work.
As women in the workplace, we tend to give less feedback to each other, and be much less receptive to it when we get it from another woman. Which in turn makes for a less supportive work environment where women tend not to support each other.
As I listened to Indra Nooyi’s comments, I could hear many of the same complaints by other fellow women at work, myself included. I could also understand the wrenching feeling of loneliness that stems from it. Yet, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with amazing, supportive women who’ve mentored me through challenging times in my career. And having been on both sides of the spectrum, I’m relieved to say that when feedback is given and received proactively and efficiently between women at work, it can result in outstanding results for both the giver and the receiver.
Unfortunately, it seems this is more the exception than the rule. Especially when it appears women tend to get different feedback than men in the workplace. According to new research, women tend to be described in performance reviews in vague terms such as “supportive”, “helpful” and “collaborative”; while men’s reviews were twice as likely to include words related to their assertiveness, such as “innovate”, “tackle” and “drive”. Men also received 3 times as much feedback about specific business outcomes, and twice as many references related to their technical expertise. Women were also described as more “aggressive”, while men are promoted for taking “personal initiative”.
What’s the solution then, when performance reviews are already gender-biased as it is, and it seems feedback from women to their fellow peers still has a long way to go? As Indra Nooyi suggests in her address, we must change the approach we have when it comes to receiving and giving feedback at work.
From my opinion and from speaking to other women around me, here are a few ways we could at least get started:
Be more proactive about giving and receiving feedback to and from other women.
In order to better the way we approach feedback, we must first get used to more of it. Receiving more of it, giving away more of it, as well as seeking out more of it. It could be as simple as asking our peers for regular feedback, as well as our managers and bosses. If we happen to be in predominantly male groups/teams, we may want to seek out more mentoring relationships with other women outside of our group or company entirely. The more we get used to it, the better we’ll become at it.
Addressing our biases when it comes to feedback.
As Indra Nooyi pointed out in her comments, we tend to react differently when the feedback comes from a man than from a woman. While we could try and understand the psycholological reasons behind this, we can also start with acknowledging how giving and receiving feedback makes us feel.
Following up on feedback and learning from the results.
The most important step when it comes to feedback is actually implementing it, and learning from it. What can we learn from giving and receiving feedback to and from other women? Can we identify ourselves with it, recognize we share the same struggles and victories, and actually do better?
In closing, let’s take a listen to Indra Nooyi’s comments:
Do you think women are less receptive to feedback when it comes from other women?
In light of the recent disturbing events happening in our country, our thoughts are with all who are affected. This article from Upworthy tells us although we can feel helpless in the face of injustice, here’s how we can contribute to help end police violence;
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If you’re taking a vacation in the coming weeks (and you should), how exactly do you plan on spending your time off? Relaxing, unwinding, and leaving all your work worries behind? Or logging in when no one’s looking to check emails, and finish that last to-do you didn’t get to complete before going away?
I should know…One too many times, I paid the price or poorly planning my work with the currency of my vacation time. I remember traveling back home to Senegal, and being this crazed woman chasing a Wi-fi connection everywhere I went so I could sneak in an email or two here and there. Remember Miranda from Sex and the City (the movie), when she got to Mexico after Carrie got jilted at the altar? Her first question once she reached the resort was: “Got wi-fi?” Yup, that was me, in the middle of the torrid West African heat, searching for wi-fi in the palm trees….But I digress…
That’s when adequately preparing for vacation comes into play. The better your pre-vacation prep, the better your vacation, basically. And contrary to popular opinion, it doesn’t require all that much work, time or energy. Just a bit of advance planning, some serious caffeine, and the promise of a work-free vacation (and a few margaritas here and there), at last…
Here are a few tips to keep work at bay on your next vacation…and actually refrain from chasing a working wi-fi connection like the next Nordstrom sale:
Delegate, delegate, and delegate!
Repeat after me: “I can’t do it all!“
Really, it’s so easy, especially for many of us affected by the “Superwoman” (or “Superman”syndrome at work) to think no one else can do it like we can. So we end up taking all this work on, and having way too much on our plates. As a result, when it’s time to take some time off, the sheer amount of work to be done makes it impossible not to be plugged in to your laptop or smartphone 24/7.
Learning to delegate is one of the most underrated, but most important, career skills. Being able to give away tasks and allow your team to function without you not only shows leadership, but also frees you to deal with more important priorities (and keep your sanity in the process). So as you prep before your vacation, delegate your tasks and projects as much as you can, so you can focus on the priority items you must complete before saying sayonara!
Make friends with status updates!
Now that you’re taking some time off, status updates must become your new friends. Let your boss, team, co-workers, stakeholders know where you stand, and how far along you are, when it comes to ongoing projects and assignments.
The worst thing you can do is leave others in the dark, and have them send you loads of emails or harass you over the phone as you’re desperately trying to tan on the beach!
Keep the lines of communication open!
Make sure everyone who should know you’ll be away in the coming weeks does. This means making a list of all the individuals affected by any work you have going on, and actually reaching out to them to ensure they know you’ll be out of the office.
Go a step further by sending them an official calendar reminder, and updating your own calendar so that everyone who tries to get in touch with you or schedule some time with you is aware of your upcoming (lack of) availability.
Set Vacation Drills!
Just like fire drills, vacation drills are meant to teach you and your team what to do when…you’re not in the office. You don’t want your boss, team and co-workers to text you at 9pm as you’re boarding your flight to ask you for a status update on that urgent project due the next day, right?
That’s why you have to have vacation drills, when you actually train your team to operate without you. That entails leaving specific instructions on any ongoing projects and logistical details, and letting them figure out the rest for themselves.
Do this a few weeks before leaving, so by the time you’re sipping on that margarita in the islands, your phone won’t be buzzing from one of your team members asking the code to some work database you forgot all about…
And a bonus tip if you really want to take the guilt out of that mango margarita and all that time off:
Get A Headstart on Upcoming Projects!
It’s one thing to complete any projects due by the time you leave for vacation; but it’s another to actually give yourself an edge by starting any upcoming projects. Not only will it give you this sense of accomplishment as you pack up your bags, but it also will help in enjoying your vacation even more! Go you, overachiever you!
Do you follow these steps to avoid working on vacation?
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Stripes make an unexpected statement with this A-line cotton blend skirt from Toyshop. Loving the interplay of vertical and horizontal stripes on this comfortable and chic midi skirt. It’s $95 at Nordstrom.
There’s something about white tops that make summer even brighter (even when you’re stuck in your office). Hence today’s Corporate Catwalk pick, this fringed Rudin top from Saks Fifth Avenue. Love the fitted bodice accented by the uber-flattering peplum hem on this original top; not to mention the fringe added wow factor! It’s $102 at Saks.
Summer’s calling, and so is that well-deserved, long-awaited vacation…You’re ready to get the heck out of the office, and go breathe some real air, on a warm beach somewhere with a cold margarita in hand…Except, before you actually step out of the front door and get on your way, there are a few things you must do to make sure you don’t come back to angry emails, aggravated co-workers, and some serious work trouble in tow…
How do you effectively prep for your vacation before shutting your computer down and saying sayonara to your inbox? Do you just take off and hope for the best, at the risk of stressing out during your entire vacation? Or are there specific steps you should follow to ensure you leave with your reputation intact, and actually enjoy your time off? I’d pick the latter…
Focus Even More!
You know the feeling, vacation’s a few days away and your mind seems to have left for the Caribbean islands already…Well, now’s not the time to mentally check out and let your tasks slide! Before you can actually lay on that tropical beach and sip on that margarita, there’s still work to be done! Instead, try to finish off any pending tasks, and anticipate any upcoming need or question from your manager and/or co-workers.
Check In With Your Boss!
Leaving your manager in the dark before you leave for vacation is never a good idea! Even worse, you wouldn’t want her/him to have unanswered questions or requests while you’re away. Instead, be proactive and set up a meeting with her/him to let them know where you stand before leaving. Even better, show them exactly your current status by preparing a status memo or spreadsheet they can refer to in your absence!
Check In With Everyone Else As Well!
Although you should check in with your boss first, don’t forget the rest of your team! Put your proactive hat once again, and ask everyone around what they need. Whether it’s co-workers, project stakeholders, or clients, make sure to check in with them and discuss pending questions and upcoming deadlines. Not only will you avoid any (bad) surprises, but they’ll thank you for it too…
Prioritize the to-do’s in your absence.
As part of updating your boss and team as related to your work priorities when you leave, make sure to communicate these in order of priority. You want them to be able to know where to start when you’re gone, and what should come first. Prepare a schedule of work priorities you can leave with your boss and co-workers to help them navigate your workload when you’re away.
Use Your Work BFF.
Your work BFF is not only good to grab coffee and gossip at the watercolor. S/he can also be instrumental when you prep for vacation. See if they’d be willing to be your point-person while you’re gone. You could even include them in your out-of-office automatic replies for reference.
Smash Upcoming Deadlines.
The best way to ruin an upcoming vacation is to leave some deadlines unmet. If you know a big project is gone the week after you leave for vacation, then make sure you work on it immediately and leave all the necessary elements behind. The same thing applies if you have a crucial deadline right when you get back. Take a step ahead and smash these critical upcoming deadlines, so you can go in peace…and come back in peace!
Don’t forget your out-of-office auto reply.
This is usually the detail I leave for the last minute…and the one I usually forget most easily! Instead of leaving it for last, prepare a concise and to the point message informing others you’re away on vacation, when to expect a reply from you, and who to go to in case of emergencies.
Picture this: Bob’s giving a presentation, and is doing a particularly terrible job at it. As he steps into the men’s bathroom during a break, Bill pats him on the shoulder and tells him: “ You’re doing a terrible job, dude. Looks like you’re trying to take off, so much your hands are all over the place. Stop gesturing so much!” Bob takes Bills advice, goes back into the conference room, and does a much better presentation. Now picture the same conversation in the ladies’ room between Mary and Sondra. What do you think Mary would think upon receiving the same piece of advice from Sondra?”
This is our weekly career and lifestyle news update, where we round up exciting news of the last week and we let you have it…ahem, news-wise that is…
If you’re taking a vacation in the coming weeks (and you should), how exactly do you plan on spending your time off? Relaxing, unwinding, and leaving all your work worries behind? Or logging in when no one’s looking to check emails, and finish that last to-do you didn’t get to complete before going away?
There’s something about white tops that make summer even brighter (even when you’re stuck in your office). Hence today’s Corporate Catwalk pick, this fringed
Summer’s calling, and so is that well-deserved, 
