Myth-busting for FGPs: “Keep Doing What You’re Doing” Isn’t the Great Feedback You Think It Is
As a First-Generation Professional, among the first in your family to graduate from college and enter the white-collar world, you may have been encouraged to “work hard and stay out of trouble.”
This pointer has served you well. As a professional, you keep your head down, deliver quality work, and stay the course. You always do your best, and while you aren’t looking for company-wide accolades, you would like some confirmation that you are hitting the mark.
So when the annual performance-review period comes around and you are advised to “keep doing what you are doing,” you exhale a bit and feel the reassurance in believing that this feedback must mean your position—and paycheck—are safe.
As FGPs, “keep doing what you are doing” can feel like the ultimate validation:
Yes! I’m doing a good job!
I figured it out!
Whew—I’m not rocking any boats. I’m in the clear.
While we hate to rain on anyone’s parade, our nearly twenty years in leadership development implores us to share these three truths about feedback that is messaged this way and why it’s particularly concerning for FGPs:
Our research shows many FGPs are perfectionists. As such, it is music to your ears when you hear that you need only to continue what you’ve been doing. You don’t especially want to hear about work habits, behaviors, or approaches that you may want to evolve—because, to you, that would indicate some degree of failure on your part. As the first in your family in a professional position—with all the financial and social pressure that comes along with that—you, we would hazard to say, do not consider failure an option. FGPs need to understand that, when it comes to workplace performance, you’re not trying to strive for A’s and B’s like you did in school. There is always something to improve at work—a process to make more efficient, a quality metric that can be raised, a relationship with a teammate that can be strengthened.
Hearing “keep doing what you’re doing” makes you feel like you got an A. A’s don’t exist in the white-collar world.
It’s your job to be engaged in a conversation with your manager about how to become even better in your role for your own growth and for the betterment of your team, business unit, and the overall enterprise. Doing so shows initiative and a willingness and desire to stretch beyond the status quo.
There is nothing concrete nor specific about “keep doing what you are doing.” What are you doing especially well? Why is that performance considered strong? The lack of specificity here means that you can’t be clear about what’s working particularly well for you. When you get vague feedback like this, consider how the stop, start, continue model can help you get more helpful information from your manager:
What behaviors or ways of working should I stop? What makes them unproductive? What would you suggest?
What ideas do you have for approaches to work that I should try? What skills or approaches should I start developing? How do you see these things being applied?
What’s working well for me? What should I keep doing? What kind of impact have I made that you would like to see more of?
- Lastly, we regret to inform you that when your manager tells you to “keep doing what you’re doing,” they’re taking the easy way out. It’s commonly known that many workplaces lack strong managers and leaders. Recent research by SHRM states that 58 percent of employees who quit a job because of workplace culture say that their managers are the main reason they ultimately left. 1
Managers play a critical role in employee development as well as promotion. You need them to be just as invested in your growth and development as you are. A significant way for them to show that they are is for them to give you meaningful, actionable feedback that will accelerate your skill development and overall effectiveness at work.
As a First-Generation Professional, receiving the directive to “keep doing what you are doing” might feel like a moment of triumph. It can be reassuring to hear that you’re on the right track, validating your hard work and dedication. However, this feedback often lacks the depth needed for true professional growth. It’s important to recognize that vague feedback like this doesn’t provide a road map for advancement. Instead of viewing it as a confirmation of success, use this as an opportunity to engage more deeply with your manager. Ask for specific examples of what’s working well, areas for improvement, and potential new challenges to tackle. Embrace the chance to push beyond the comfort zone of “doing what you’ve been doing” and seek out constructive feedback that can help you refine your skills and broaden your impact. By actively seeking out detailed, actionable feedback, you demonstrate initiative and a commitment to continuous improvement—key qualities that will support your growth and progression in the workplace. Don’t settle for vague reassurances; instead, strive for clarity and actionable insights that will help you advance to the next level of your career.
Resources
1
"Toxic Workplace Cultures Hurt Workers and Company Profits." SHRM. https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/employee-relations/toxic-workplace-cultures-hurt-workers-company-profits/