| name | fd - Feedback Delivery |
| description | Systematic procedure for delivering feedback that is heard, received, and acted upon, and for receiving feedback gracefully |
| output | {"format":"prose"} |
Feedback Delivery
Input: $ARGUMENTS
Interpretations
Before executing, identify which interpretation matches the user's input:
Interpretation 1 — Delivering feedback: The user needs help structuring and delivering feedback to someone (a report, peer, or stakeholder) about their performance or behavior.
Interpretation 2 — Receiving feedback: The user has received feedback (or expects to) and wants help processing it, responding gracefully, and extracting actionable value from it.
Interpretation 3 — Building a feedback culture: The user wants to establish or improve systematic feedback practices across a team or organization, not just handle a single instance.
If ambiguous, ask: "I can help with delivering feedback, receiving feedback, or building a feedback culture — which fits?"
If clear from context, proceed with the matching interpretation.
Overview
Systematic procedure for delivering feedback that is heard, received, and acted upon, and for receiving feedback gracefully
Steps
Step 1: Assess the feedback situation
Before preparing feedback, assess the context:
Situation assessment:
- What type of feedback is this? (developmental, reinforcing, corrective)
- How urgent is this? (needs immediate attention vs can wait for right moment)
- What's the relationship context? (new hire vs tenured, trust level)
- What's their likely receptivity? (open to feedback vs defensive)
- Is this a pattern or a one-time event?
- What's the potential impact if not addressed?
Self-assessment:
- Am I calm enough to deliver this constructively?
- Is this about their performance or my preferences?
- Am I trying to help them or just vent frustration?
- Do I have specific observations, not just impressions?
- Am I willing to hear their perspective?
- Is my intent to help them grow?
Check your position on Radical Candor grid:
- Caring personally + Challenging directly = Radical Candor (goal)
- Caring personally + Not challenging = Ruinous Empathy (feels nice, doesn't help)
- Not caring + Challenging directly = Obnoxious Aggression (damages relationship)
- Not caring + Not challenging = Manipulative Insincerity (worst of all)
Step 2: Prepare feedback using SBI model
Structure feedback using Situation-Behavior-Impact:
SITUATION: When and where did this happen?
- Be specific: "In yesterday's client meeting..."
- Not vague: "Recently..." or "Sometimes you..."
- Helps them recall the specific instance
BEHAVIOR: What specific behavior did you observe?
- Observable actions, not interpretations
- "You interrupted three times" not "You were rude"
- "You delivered the report two days late" not "You're unreliable"
- Avoid: character judgments, mind-reading, generalizations
IMPACT: What was the effect of this behavior?
- On you: "I felt frustrated because..."
- On others: "The team lost confidence in..."
- On outcomes: "This caused the client to question..."
- Be honest about impact, don't exaggerate or minimize
For reinforcing feedback (positive):
- Same structure: what they did well and why it mattered
- "In the presentation yesterday, when you handled the tough question calmly, it reassured the whole room and we won the deal"
Prepare multiple SBI examples if this is a pattern
Step 3: Plan the conversation
Prepare how you'll deliver the feedback:
Timing:
- Soon after the event (timely feedback is more valuable)
- But not when either of you is emotional or rushed
- Private setting for constructive feedback
- For reinforcing feedback, can be public if appropriate
Opening approach:
- State your intent: "I want to share some feedback that I think will help"
- Ask permission if peer: "Can I share an observation from the meeting?"
- Set collaborative tone: "I care about your success and want to help"
- For positive: "I wanted to tell you something I noticed..."
Conversation structure:
- Open with care and intent
- Deliver SBI feedback clearly
- PAUSE - let them respond
- Listen to their perspective
- Discuss what to do differently (for developmental/corrective)
- Agree on path forward
- Express confidence and support
Prepare for resistance:
- They may have context you don't know
- They may be defensive initially
- Stay curious: "Help me understand..."
- Don't back down from the feedback, but listen to their view
Step 4: Deliver the feedback
Execute the feedback conversation:
Delivery principles:
- Be direct but kind (don't bury the message in softeners)
- Use "I" language ("I observed" not "You always")
- Maintain eye contact and open body language
- Speak calmly and at measured pace
- Pause after key points to let them land
The conversation:
- Open: "I have some feedback I think will be helpful. Can we talk now?"
- Deliver SBI: State situation, behavior, and impact clearly
- Pause: Give them space to respond
- Listen: Hear their perspective without defending
- Discuss: Explore what happened and what could be different
- Agree: "Going forward, what will you do differently?"
- Support: "How can I help you with this?"
- Close: "I appreciate you hearing this. I believe in your ability to..."
If they get defensive:
- Acknowledge their feeling: "I can see this is hard to hear"
- Restate your intent: "I'm sharing this because I want to help you succeed"
- Stay with the facts: "What I observed was..."
- Invite dialogue: "Help me understand what was going on for you"
If you delivered it wrong:
- It's okay to pause and reset: "Let me try that again"
- Acknowledge if you were unclear: "I don't think I said that well"
Step 5: Discuss development path
Move from feedback to forward action:
For developmental/corrective feedback:
- Ask their ideas first: "What do you think you could do differently?"
- Build on their ideas: "Yes, and you might also try..."
- Offer specific suggestions if they're stuck
- Make it actionable: "What specifically will you do next time?"
- Discuss how to practice: "When's the next opportunity to try this?"
Creating accountability:
- "What will success look like?"
- "How will you know if it's working?"
- "What support do you need?"
- "When should we check in on this?"
For reinforcing feedback:
- Help them understand WHY it worked
- Discuss how to replicate in other situations
- Ask how they can share this skill with others
Avoid:
- Prescribing solutions without their input
- Vague suggestions ("just be more collaborative")
- Creating dependency ("check with me before every meeting")
Step 6: Follow up and reinforce
Complete the feedback loop:
Immediate follow-up (same day or next):
- Send brief note thanking them for the conversation
- Summarize key agreements in writing
- Reaffirm your support and confidence
Ongoing follow-up:
- Look for evidence of change (notice and acknowledge it)
- Give reinforcing feedback when you see improvement
- Check in at agreed interval
- Provide coaching if they're struggling
If no improvement:
- Have another conversation, more direct
- Discuss pattern: "We talked about this before and I'm still seeing..."
- Explore obstacles: "What's getting in the way?"
- May need to escalate severity of consequences
Document:
- Keep notes on feedback conversations
- Track agreements and follow-through
- Useful for performance reviews and development planning
When to Use
- Providing performance feedback to direct reports
- Giving peer feedback on work or collaboration
- Delivering constructive criticism that might be difficult to hear
- Sharing positive feedback and recognition
- Receiving feedback from managers, peers, or reports
- Conducting formal performance reviews
- Coaching in real-time after observing something
- Addressing behavior that needs to change
- Following up on previous feedback conversations
Verification
- Feedback is specific (SBI or similar structure)
- Behavior is observable, not interpreted
- Delivered with care for the person
- Listened to their perspective
- Agreed on specific actions forward
- Follow-up is planned
- Documentation captured
