Most leaders think they're choosing between two options when it comes to feedback: be vague or just redo it yourself. Adrienne and Emily have a third take.

In this Dear Bossy episode, Adrienne and Emily tackle a listener question about how to give feedback that actually sticks.

They get into the difference between lazy and specific feedback, what it really means to delegate well, and why "make it stronger" does more harm than good.

What they cover:

• Why "make it stronger" and "make it better" are lazy feedback, not vague feedback, and what the difference actually means for your team
• The false choice between being too vague or rewriting everything yourself, and the third option most leaders miss
• How to turn subjective feedback into an objective standard your team can actually measure against
• The gap vs. the fix: why naming the gap gives people ownership, and handing them the fix takes it away
• What it looks like to give feedback on creative or preference-based work, and why rewriting with a walkthrough can actually be the fastest path to improvement
• How standards change over time and why updating your team is not a one-time event
• Emily's real example of getting "add more energy" as feedback and why it landed flat without context
• The ego trap: unconsciously setting people up to fail so you can stay the only one who can do it right

Submit your own Dear Bossy question: sortabossypodcast.com

⏱️ Time Chapters

00:01 Happy Tuesday and rainbow loom necklaces 04:05 Taylor-formations card of the week
06:21 The listener question
07:10 Emily's take: rewriting is not always the lazy option
09:47 The false choice and the third path
13:05 The ego trap in delegation
17:40 When standards change: the leader's responsibility to update the team
22:05 Emily's personal feedback example and user manuals
25:58 Choosing your hard: paying credit vs. paying cash
27:49 Wrap up