Why "Nice" Feedback Can Stall Your Career

She was a seasoned executive with an international resume and a track record that screamed success. Yet, after moving to the U.S., something strange kept happening: she'd walk out of interviews feeling hopeful, even thrilled.

"They loved me," she'd say. "Everyone was so enthusiastic."

But nothing would come of it. No callback. No offer. Just silence.

When she came to me, she wasn’t frustrated—she was confused. And that’s worse. Because when you're confused, you can’t fix what you don't understand.

So I gave her a piece of insight that changed everything:

In American workplace culture, people are taught to deliver feedback like a sandwich.

Say something nice. Then slip in the uncomfortable truth. Then cover it up again with another nice thing. I like to call it a "sh*t sandwich".

It’s polite. It’s professional. And it’s incredibly misleading—especially if you come from a culture that handles feedback indirectly or avoids critique altogether.

She looked at me and said, "I wish they would just tell me what they really mean."

I had to explain that they did. She just didn’t know how to hear it.

When You Don't Understand the Hidden Messages, You Miss the Real Conversation

The sad truth is, she’s not alone.

Thousands of highly capable global professionals are losing career opportunities not because of their skill, but because of subtle cultural miscommunications they don’t even know are happening.

They’re left guessing after conversations. Second-guessing their interviews. Misinterpreting feedback. And walking away from meetings thinking everything went well, when the other person left with concerns they’ll never say outright.

That’s not a performance problem.

That’s a perception problem.

And in global teams, perception is performance.

Imagine You’re Playing Chess, But You Don’t Know What the Knight Does

It’s like entering a chess match where everyone knows the rules but you.

You’re smart.You’re experienced.You’re doing your best.

But you don’t know what to listen for.So while everyone else is speaking in “coded language”, you’re just nodding along, hoping to get it.

That mismatch kills momentum. Trust. Influence. Leadership.

Until someone shows you how the game is really played.

Want to Fix the Communication Gaps That Are Silently Undermining You?

If you’re a global professional navigating diverse work environments, and you’ve ever felt like you’re missing something, but can’t put your finger on what, it’s not your fault!!

You simply haven’t been taught how to decode the subtle signals of cross-cultural communication.

That’s where we come in.

We help global professionals fix communication breakdowns that stall their careers, so they can gain trust, influence, and leadership roles across cultures.

Because you shouldn’t have to guess your way to success.

Let’s fix the disconnect. Your next opportunity depends on it.