Feedback

View or download the printable version of the Quick Guide to Feedback (PDF).

What is feedback?

Feedback is information communicated for the purpose of helping another person modify their behavior to improve learning and performance.

Why should I give feedback?

Feedback is how supervisors let people know where they stand with respect to performance expectations and is an important part of coaching people in their development. All supervisors are expected to provide effective, regular feedback.

How do you give effective feedback?

Simply follow the “Get Ready, Get Set, Give Feedback” framework outlined in this guide.

Three circles representing the three step model for giving effective feedback. Get ready, Get Set, and Give Feedback.

Get Set: Stop and consider whether the feedback will be effective.

Pause and consider whether the situation and whether it's a good time to give feedback. Here are some examples of different situations:

Will there be opportunities for the person to practice the behavior again? If not, ask yourself how you might provide them with the opportunity to practice.
Does the person have the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the desired behavior? If not, consider how to coach the person to close these gaps in knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Has the person had the chance to familiarize themselves with the task? If not, feedback will interfere with learning. Provide feedback once they are familiar with the task.
Is the person in the middle of the task? If yes, feedback will simply cause an unwelcome interruption and a distraction. Wait until the task is complete to provide feedback.

You've planned the feedback and considered the timing, now Go!

Use the situation, behavior, and impact (SBI) model: Be specific about behaviors and explain why a behavior was effective or ineffective, and help the person understand the situation, their behavior, and the impact of their behavior. Here's an example:
- "Mai, when we were in our meeting earlier today, you kept looking out the window and I felt like you weren't paying attention to what I was saying."
Does the person understand what you are trying to convey?
Connect the feedback to specific goals.
Focus on the present task.

Once feedback is given, concentrate on coaching, which will help the person apply the feedback they have received. Check out the Quick Guide to Coaching for some starters on how to coach employees.

Reflection question: What are some things you might try to do differently when it comes to feedback?

View or download the printable version of the Quick Guide to Feedback (PDF).

Service Areas

Supervisory Development Program

Topics

Feedback and Coaching

Resource Type

Quick Guide

Course Focus

Foundations

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Assessing Performance, Potential, and Readiness, Quick Guide

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Coaching Webinar, Webinar

Creating a Culture of Feedback (4:29), Video

Feedback, Quick Guide

Feedback ActionSheet, Template

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Feedback and Coaching, Webinar

Feedback and Coaching Podcast (54:19), Podcast

Feedback and Coaching- Questions and Answers, Webinar

Feedback: Ready, Set, Go! (4:07), Video

Giving Feedback that Works, Podcast, Webinar

Maximizing Employee Learning, Quick Guide

Feedback

What is feedback?

Why should I give feedback?

How do you give effective feedback?

Resource Type

Course Focus

Related Resources for Supervisors

Talent Strategy

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