Interactive workshop

Giving Feedback People Can Use

Practice clear, specific feedback that supports learning and better work.

1 hTotal time
5Sessions
5Worksheet prompts
Warm-up0:00–0:088 min

Warm up: What makes feedback useful?

Surface what helps feedback feel clear and what makes it hard to act on.

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Recall a moment that helped

8 min

Give yourself 8 minutes for this activity. The timer only runs on this page.

Build your example

  1. 1
    Choose a moment

    Recall a time someone gave you feedback that helped you improve. Keep the example low-stakes and leave out identifying details.

  2. 2
    Write what was said

    Capture the key phrase as accurately as you can. Note the situation, not your evaluation of the person.

  3. 3
    Find the useful part

    Underline what made the message clear: a specific example, a respectful tone, a next step, or room for your perspective.

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Concept0:08–0:2012 min

Concept: Describe the moment, not the person

Learn to ground feedback in something another person could observe.

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Turn judgments into observations

12 min

Give yourself 12 minutes for this activity. The timer only runs on this page.

Useful feedback points to a behavior the other person can recognize. “You are careless” is a judgment. “In yesterday’s handoff, two figures had no source notes” describes something concrete. Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) helps you organize the message: name the situation, describe the behavior, then explain its impact.

Treat impact as your experience, not a fact about everyone. Say “I had trouble checking the figures” rather than “You confused the whole team.” Ask what you may be missing.

Rewrite one judgment

  1. 1
    Pick a label

    Start with a phrase such as “not proactive,” “unclear,” or “unreliable.”

  2. 2
    Find the moment

    Name when and where the behavior occurred, using a specific example.

  3. 3
    Describe what happened

    Write what you saw or heard, without assigning motive or character.

  4. 4
    Name the impact carefully

    Describe an effect on the work or on you, then leave room for a different perspective.

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Practice0:20–0:3515 min

Practice: Give a clear, respectful message

Draft and rehearse feedback using a real, low-stakes example.

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Draft with SBI and a next step

15 min

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Fill in your feedback worksheet

  1. 1
    Check the setting

    Choose a private, timely moment. Ask whether the person is open to discussing the example now.

  2. 2
    State the situation

    Write a brief anchor, such as “In Tuesday’s planning meeting…”

  3. 3
    Describe behavior and impact

    Use observable details, then explain the effect on the work or your experience without exaggerating.

  4. 4
    Invite and suggest

    Ask for their perspective. Offer one specific next step as a possibility, not an order.

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Practice0:35–0:5015 min

Practice: Listen and adjust

Rehearse delivering feedback and responding without rushing to defend or fix.

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Run a short feedback exchange

15 min

Give yourself 15 minutes for this activity. The timer only runs on this page.

Practice the exchange

  1. 1
    Set the scene

    Use your worksheet example or this scenario: a teammate sends a report after the agreed deadline, leaving little time for review.

  2. 2
    Give the message

    Deliver your situation, behavior, and impact in plain language. End with an open question.

  3. 3
    Listen and clarify

    The receiver summarizes what they heard, then asks one clarifying question. The giver listens without interrupting.

  4. 4
    Agree on a next step

    Together, name a small action and when you will check whether it helped. Switch roles if working with a partner.

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Debrief0:50–1:0010 min

Debrief: Make it a habit

Choose a realistic next conversation and identify safeguards for a constructive exchange.

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Plan one useful conversation

10 min

Give yourself 10 minutes for this activity. The timer only runs on this page.

Write your next step

  1. 1
    Choose the situation

    Identify a real, appropriate moment for feedback. Avoid raising sensitive concerns in public or when either person cannot engage.

  2. 2
    Prepare the evidence

    Write the specific behavior you observed and the impact you experienced. Remove labels and guessed motives.

  3. 3
    Set an invitation

    Plan how you will ask whether the person is ready to talk and how you will invite their perspective.

  4. 4
    Decide how to follow up

    Choose a practical next step and a suitable time to check in together.

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My worksheet

Your reflections from every session, collected in one place. They stay in this browser.

  1. 1.1 Recall a moment that helped

    What made this feedback easier to hear or act on, and what would you want to repeat when giving feedback?

  2. 2.1 Turn judgments into observations

    How did your wording change when you replaced a judgment with an observable behavior?

  3. 3.1 Draft with SBI and a next step

    Which sentence in your draft is most specific, and where could you make more room for the other person's perspective?

  4. 4.1 Run a short feedback exchange

    What did you learn from the other person's response that changed or sharpened your proposed next step?

  5. 5.1 Plan one useful conversation

    What will you do to keep your next feedback conversation specific, respectful, and open to new information?