Articles · Leadership
Why “Professionalism” Should Be Specific
How to turn vague professionalism feedback into observable behaviors people can actually act on.
Shared Language editorial team
Published · 2 min read
Why this matters
Be more professional is common feedback, but it is often too vague to act on.
For neurodivergent employees, vague feedback can create anxiety and overcorrection because the actual behavior is unclear.
Better feedback
Instead of saying, “Be more professional,” name the situation, behavior, and desired next action.
For example: “In client emails, use a greeting, answer the question directly, and avoid internal shorthand.”
Try this next
Replace one vague feedback phrase with an observable behavior and desired next action.