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Constructive feedback

Specific, fact-based feedback that describes what someone did and its effect, so they can keep doing it or change it.

What It Means

Constructive feedback is feedback meant to help someone improve or keep doing something well, delivered as facts the person can act on. One widely used way to give it is the Center for Creative Leadership's Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) model: say when and where it happened, describe exactly what the person did, and explain the effect it had. Because it describes actions instead of judging the person, CCL reports that it makes feedback less stressful to give and less likely to put the other person on the defensive.

Try It: Spot the Behavior, Not the Judgment

SBI feedback describes a behavior someone could have seen or heard. Pick the line that does.

1. A coworker missed the start of the client call.

2. Someone on your team ran a great training session.

3. A report went out with errors.

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How People Say It at Work

  • "Can I give you some quick feedback on the meeting?"
  • "Be specific, tell me what to change."
  • "That's helpful, thanks for telling me."

The Breakdown

The SBI steps, from the Center for Creative Leadership

  1. Situation. Say when and where: "In Tuesday's budget meetingFamily budget meetingA planned, regular sit-down where the people who share a household's money look at the budget together, make decisions and agree who does what next. See more..."
  2. Behavior. Describe what the person did, as something you saw or heard: "...you interrupted Ana twice while she was presenting..."
  3. Impact. Say what it did to you or the work: "...and she didn't finish the section on costs, so we have to meet again."

CCL's extended version adds a fourth step, Intent: ask what the person meant to do. "What were you hoping would happen?" opens a conversation instead of ending one.

The same model for praise. "In this morning's call (situation), you summarized the three options in two minutes (behavior), and the client picked one on the spot (impact)."

Try it today. Write one SBI sentence about something a colleague did well this week, and send it.

Good to Know

Buhata's suggestion: give it soon after the event, in private when it's a correction, and about one thing at a time. Keep to what you saw or heard yourself, since a secondhand complaint can't be described as behavior you observed. If what you saw might be harassment or discrimination, report it to HR rather than handling it as feedback.

FAQ

What is an example of constructive feedback?

"In yesterday's team meeting, you shared the sales numbers before anyone asked, and it saved us ten minutes of searching." It names the situation, the behavior and the impact.

What does SBI stand for?

Situation, Behavior, Impact. It's a feedback model from the Center for Creative Leadership. An extended version, SBII, adds Intent.

How is constructive feedback different from criticism?

Criticism often judges the person. Constructive feedback describes a specific action and its effect, so the person knows what to keep or change.

Do It in Buhata

Notes (Premium) and Calendar

Before each one-on-one on the Calendar, write your situation, behavior and impact points on that day's page in Notes (Premium).

Open Buhata

Related Terms and Categories

  • One-on-one meeting

    A regular private meeting between a manager and one person who reports to them, used for check-ins, feedback, problems and career growth.

  • Performance review

    A formal look back, usually once a year, where a manager rates how an employee's work measured up to the standards set for that period.

  • Psychological safety

    A shared belief on a team that it's safe to speak up, ask questions, admit mistakes and disagree without being embarrassed or punished.

  • Active listening

    Listening with full attention and showing you understood, by reflecting back what the other person said and felt before you reply with your own view.

  • Managing up

    Working deliberately with your boss to get the best results for both of you and the organization, by understanding how they work and what they need.

  • Self-evaluation

    Your own written assessment of your work over a review period, which your manager reads alongside their view during a performance review.

Work, career and remote life

Sources

Center for Creative Leadership, "Situation-Behavior-Impact"; Center for Creative Leadership, "Use SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) to Inquire About Intent"

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