She's That Founder: Business Strategy, Time Management and AI Magic for Impactful Female Leaders

071 | Say It Like a Leader: The Feedback Framework Every Female Founder Needs

• Dawn Andrews • Season 2 • Episode 71

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Ever had that stomach-drop moment when someone gives it to you straight? I did, right in the middle of a team Zoom. I thought I was being empowering, but what they really needed was clarity. And they told me so.

That moment was uncomfortable…and it completely changed my leadership. In this episode, I’m sharing the feedback framework I now use to lead with more direction, connection, and confidence, and how you can too. Whether you avoid feedback or just want it to land better, this one’s for you.

In this episode, you’ll learn…

  • Why feedback isn’t a soft skill — it’s the whole job as a CEO
  • The 3-part Clarity Formula that turns empowering vibes into clear guidance
  • How to shift from feedback avoidance to feedback flow
  • The one sentence that helps your team give you feedback (and why it matters)
  • A powerful reframe: feedback isn’t confrontation — it’s connection

This episode at a glance:

[2:32] - Clarity is kindness. Feedback is the language of clarity.

[3:27] - Your team doesn’t want to read your mind — they want to win.

[5:29] - Feedback isn’t just about criticism. It’s about connecting.”

[6:25]- When you model feedback, you invite it. That’s how you go from bottleneck to coaching CEO.

[7:43]- You’re not a critic — you’re a leader. So use your words like one.”

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

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Dawn Andrews:

Ever had that stomach dropping moment when someone tells you the truth? Yeah, it happened to me in a team meeting. I thought I was being empowering. Turns out I was just being vague, and someone finally said it honestly, we're not sure what you want. And it happened multiple times after that, ouch, but also thank God, because here's what, I realized that day, feedback isn't a nice to have leadership skill. It is the job. If feedback freaks you out or feels like conflict waiting to happen, this episode is your safe space and your swift kick.

Dawn Andrews:

Let's talk about how one awkward moment in a Zoom Room unlocked the most powerful leadership move I've ever made. Let's get into it. You're listening to she's that founder business strategy and time management for impactful female leaders, along with a touch of magical AI, this is the space that helps ambitious women stop drowning in decisions and start owning their CEO seat.

Dawn Andrews:

I'm Dawn Andrews, and I help high performing female founders delegate smarter, lead better, and scale without burning out. So let me set the scene. There I was in a team zoom. I had an idea. I wanted to share something strategic, something I thought would spark innovation and some serious forward movement for us. And I tend to use words like, let's be creative here. Or I don't like to admit I use this, but sometimes I do say, think outside the box. You know what? Let that be the last time I utter those words.

Dawn Andrews:

You guys were the first to hear it. Here's the problem with that phrase and with the whole conversation I was having on Zoom, I didn't say what box we were even in, people were not tracking with me at all, and I was almost in a creative fugue when I was sharing and one of my team members blessed them, took a breath and said, Honestly, we are not sure what you want. I felt the heat rise to my face. I wanted to defend or backtrack and try to clarify. Maybe I even wanted to argue a little bit, but I paused because they were right. I was leading with hope and vibes and a whole bunch of creative thoughts I'd had probably at three o'clock in the morning, but I was not leading with clarity, and in that moment, it flipped a switch, because clarity is kindness and feedback is the language of clarity. Sheryl Sandberg said leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making that impact last in your absence. And that quote could not have rang more true in that moment.

Dawn Andrews:

Let's break it down into three key shifts that turned me into a feedback first CEO, it's not perfect. I don't do it every time, but ooh, am I trying every single day to live this reality? So it's what I'm doing, and you can steal it right now. Here's the myth. The myth is being empowering means leaving things open ended. Not true. The reality is vague. Leadership equals unclear results, and it also starts to break down trust. I think as founders, we often confuse empowerment with absence, but your team doesn't want to read your mind. They want to win, and they can't win if they don't know the rules. Clarity isn't bossy, it's generous. And if you have somebody on your team who can't see it that way, then maybe you need to rethink that person's position, because everybody, including you, needs to really appreciate the value of getting some good feedback to help you give some good feedback.

Dawn Andrews:

Here's my first tip for you, and this is taking people from empowering vibes to clear guidance. Here's the three part clarity formula I use, what's working, what needs improvement, and what does success look like? Three simple questions. Sometimes the answers or what you share is a little bit more detailed than that, but sometimes it's really not, and it may feel like over communication. It's actually leadership. It's just leadership. You got this, Hey, if you are challenged in giving feedback. If you're thinking, I need to get better at giving feedback that actually lands. I've got something for you. Go download the feedback fix. It's my free guide that breaks down how to give feedback like a leader and not a critic, and it uses AI to help you make it easier, to help you find your words, to help you clarify your intentions and your meaning and to deliver really great feedback to your team.

Dawn Andrews:

So go grab the feedback fix now and watch your next team conversation level up. You can find it at dawn andrews.com or the link in the show notes number two, going. From feedback avoidance to feedback flow. So the myth is that feedback is confrontation, and I think that feels especially true for women, but the reality is feedback is friction turned into fuel. So here's a stat that shocked me. 69% of employees say they'd work harder if they felt their efforts were better recognized? Well, how do you recognize their efforts? It's not just celebrating when something great happens. It's that you're engaged with the process and with them along the journey. Feedback isn't just about criticism. It's about connecting. When you give regular constructive feedback, you normalize growth, you build trust, you create momentum.

Dawn Andrews:

So try this. This is my feedback fix framework. Ask first, can I offer you some feedback and be specific? That's the next part. Say, here's what I noticed, and just state what's so, no editorializing. And then the last part is staying curious. How did that feel for you? How did the feedback feel for them? It's not about being blunt, it's about being brave, and we need to do more of this. The last step in my process that helped me get past that awkward truth telling moment and took me from CEO bottleneck to CEO coach was handling this.

Dawn Andrews:

The myth is, only you can see what needs to improve. Well, that's just ridiculous. The reality is your team can learn to give you feedback, too, and this is where the real magic happens. When you model feedback, you invite it. Your leadership evolves from all knowing manager to coaching CEO. And guess what? You start getting your time back. Your team starts thinking critically, solving problems and improving without waiting for your green light. So try this in your next team meeting. Ask, What's one thing I could do differently to make this clearer or easier, and then shut up and take notes. I feel you. I've been in that awkward moment, and if you've ever felt like giving feedback means sounding like a jerk or a micromanager, the feedback fix is your antidote. You'll learn how to be direct and kind, you'll find your words. You'll build your confidence, so go get it. Now the feedback fix link is in the show notes.

Dawn Andrews:

So let's recap that awkward conversation where my team said we're not sure exactly what you want. It changed my leadership forever. I realized that feedback isn't conflict, it's clarity, that vague leadership is a liability, and the bravest leaders give the clearest feedback, and your team deserves that clarity, and so do you. So here are your action steps, download the feedback, fix, try that clarity formula in your next one on one, and invite feedback from your team this week. You're not a critic, you're a leader. So use your words like one, and until next time, Delegate smarter, lead better, and build a business that doesn't run you, but that you get to enjoy running.

Dawn Andrews:

If today's episode gave you a few light bulb moments, or even just helped you exhale. Do me a favor, hit that follow button, leave a review, or, better yet, share this with a founder friend who needs it. And if you're ready to lead with more clarity and way less chaos, you can come join us inside AI for founders, our free private community on LinkedIn, remember, you don't have to do it all. You just have to do the right things and do them with a little panache and grace or a little AI magic. I'll see you next time you.