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Giving feedback can be one of the most daunting tasks for leaders. After a decade and a half in consulting, I can count the number of leaders who give good feedback on one hand. Shockingly low, considering I've worked with hundreds of managers through executives in that time. Why is this task so hard? Aren't leaders giving feedback constantly? And shouldn't practice make perfect? The reality is, we don't innately know what makes feedback effective, and training in many organizations continues to be a nice to have / at your leisure rather than structured, planned for, and required. Feedback is a skill that is built over time but bear in mind, that no matter how much you practice "giving feedback", if that feedback isn't structured in a way that it can be actioned upon or understood, you will likely not see results. In this article, I'll explain how to give feedback effectively and how to build your confidence in delivering feedback. With this guide, you'll have a formula that can be applied not only to your work but also your personal life.

Types of feedback: Constructive feedback vs ...

I'm going to start on a rant which is the topic of constructive feedback. Too often, I hear reference to feedback which is focused on corrective action as "constructive feedback".  The point of feedback is to both reinforce actions which are desired as well as to provide correction. Ultimately, all feedback should be constructive, with equal importance given to feedback which focuses on reinforcing behaviors as on correcting behaviors. I don't use terms such as "positive feedback" or "negative feedback" as again, these have unintended connotations to them. The point of feedback is not to punish, to focus on the bad vs the good but instead to focus on growth. With that said, let's touch on the two feedback types

Reinforcing Feedback

Most people think of feedback as corrective, a tool which is used when an undesired action or behavior needs to be addressed. What is often overlooked, but of equal importance, is reinforcing feedback. Reinforcing feedback encourages the team member receiving the feedback to continue performing a certain action or behavior. It identifies the particular strengths and actions taken and gives the receiver a guide for continued success.

Corrective Feedback

Corrective feedback, as you now know, is feedback that is given to change or correct an undesired action or behavior. Corrective feedback identifies specific points of opportunity, weakness or challenge, paired with a roadmap for how to correct these. Regardless of the situation, corrective feedback should address both the issue and the desired resolution to be effective. More on that a little later.

Structuring Feedback

The structure for your feedback is critical to its effectiveness. Using a proven structure will aid in your delivery of the feedback but will also ensure you hit the key points and make the feedback stick with your audience.

To be effective, your feedback should meet the following four criteria, regardless of feedback type:

• Specific: the feedback identifies a specific examples of an action, behavior, or desired outcome
• Actionable: whether an action plan is laid out or derived by the recipient, all feedback should be actionable
• Timely: feedback should be delivered as soon as possible, ideally within a few days
• Consistent: consistency is key for both types of feedback but especially where corrective action is required, it is the responsibility of the individual delivering the feedback to validate whether improvement has been made over time or if there is still room for improvement

Reinforcing Feedback Model

Too often, reinforcing feedback is delivered as a generic "good job on your..." While easy to give the quick compliment, it doesn't give the feedback receiver any information to act upon. While the praise will be appreciated, the receiver will be more appreciative and ultimately benefit more from feedback that is specific. Let's look at an example of this:

• Great job in your presentation yesterday, Jenny!
• Jenny, in your presentation to leadership yesterday you were prepared, poised, and confident. You really took charge and didn't need any support through the presentation, both the executive team and I were very impressed. 

While both of these are complimentary, the second example provides specific details of what Jenny did well and the impact her actions had as a result. Either on her own, or with the help of a manager, Jenny can create a plan which builds upon these strengths and demonstrates how else she can apply them to her work. 

The model I use for giving reinforcing feedback is "SBI" or Situation, Behavior, Impact:

• S (Situation): Describe the situation, with specifics of when and where it occurred
• B (Behavior): Describe the observed behavior of the individual in this situation, without inferring their thoughts or feelings at the time
• I (Impact): Describe the impact this behavior had

Applying this model to a personal situation:

• John, when you came by after work to listen to me vent last night, it really helped turn my mood around. Making yourself available and giving me as much time as I needed made me feel really cared for as a friend.

Corrective Feedback Model

The dreaded corrective feedback. There are those leaders who are d****, they love the opportunity to tear employees down and tend to give feedback in the form of harsh criticism. Other leaders avoid giving the hard feedback at all costs, dancing around the issue or more often than not, surprising you at year end with a less than stellar performance review with no indication that there was a problem. Neither of these are effective methods, but let's leveraging an enhanced version of the SBI model for this, a daunting conversation can be made much more approachable:

"SBI-IA" or Situation, Behavior, Impact, Inquiry, Action

The first 3 components follow the exact structure as outlined above, adding the elements of Inquiry and Action:

• I (Inquiry): Allow the recipient and opportunity to react to the feedback and to share what happened in the situation 
• A (Action): Provide the recipient a specific action plan moving forward, detailing desired changes and follow up

Applying this model to a professional situation:

• Manager - SBI: Thomas, in yesterday's team meeting, you were not fully present, you stepped in and out throughout the session and were visibly distracted. This was distracting for me as it interrupted our team exercise and caused you to miss critical information which will now take time from another team member to catch you up on. Can you help me understand why you weren't able to be fully focused on our session?
• Thomas - I: I'm really sorry, I had a client meeting that came up partway through our session and I needed to step out to join the call. I was watching my email in case anything important came through from the client during our session.
• Manager - A: I can certainly appreciate that client conflicts sometimes come up. My ask is that in the future, you communicate conflicts ahead of time to both set expectations and allow for alternate arrangements where appropriate. In this situation, I could have recorded the meeting for you had I known ahead of time. In our upcoming monthly checkpoint, let's discuss similar situations that come up between now and then and how you've been able to apply proactive communication to address. 

Summary: giving feedback effectively 

Applying the SBI or SBI-IA structure to feedback can make a daunting task, a little less so. I've personally used this model for years and have found it makes the world of difference. From writing reviews, to addressing performance plans, this framework has made my life as a leader much easier, and given my employees a better understanding of my expectations for them. Giving corrective feedback is still going to be daunting at first, but with practice you'll grow more comfortable with the process. Don't be afraid to ask for feedback on your own growth in this area! I think you'll find that most receivers are grateful for the feedback, especially when delivered using these methods.

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