Feedback Techniques for Professional Development

💥 Feedback is a gift they say. But only if you trust the messenger. Too many leaders confuse sharing their opinions of your actions as feedback, and when it’s critical, they might remain silent. But silence doesn’t build trust. Accountability does. If you want a practical way to give feedback that builds clarity and connection (not conflict), try the SBI+A Method: Situation, Behavior, Impact — plus Action. It’s my favorite feedback framework and it can be used for affirmative AND constructive feedback for peers, your teams and your leaders. Here’s how it works, with real-life prompts you can use today - 💬 S.B.I.+A : 🟪 SITUATION Anchor the conversation in time and place. Be specific so the context is clear. -“In yesterday’s 1:1 with the client…” -“During our team meeting this morning…” 🟧 BEHAVIOR Describe exactly what was said or done — only what you observed. Keep it neutral, which can help to de-personalize the message. - “…you rolled your eyes when Marcus offered his idea…” - “…you proactively prepared a visual to explain …” 🟨 IMPACT Here’s the heart of the conversation. Focus on the effect, not your assumption about their intent. - “…it shut down the conversation and made it harder to hear different viewpoints.” - “...it strengthened the presentation and built client confidence in our work.” 🟦 ACTION (this optional, but powerful IMO) Suggest what to change — or what to continue if it was positive. This is also an opportunity to invite the recipient of constructive feedback to share what actions they will take in light of this feedback. Sometimes, this is best delivered in a follow-up conversation after the recipient has had time to process the feedback. - “In the future, try pausing before responding so we hold space for full ideas.” - “Keep doing that — your clarity helped move the project forward.” ---------- 💡 I think this model is helpful for people-centered, equity-driven leadership because: *It builds a shared language to talk about harm, even when it’s unintentional. *It helps us shift from blame to growth — perfect for leaders trying to close the gap between intent and impact. *It makes feedback feel actionable instead of personal. And most importantly, when done well: it gets everyone back on the same page!

Have you ever wondered how to give associates more effective feedback? Having practiced law for 15 years, I received and gave a lot of feedback. Much of it was ineffective. Here’s why. Attorneys who are delegating work are busy. They often think the most efficient way to give feedback is to tell the associate what they did wrong and how to fix it. But research shows that telling people what they did wrong triggers stress, shame and fear. It raises defenses and lowers confidence. People on the receiving end typically become resistant or compliant. Neither response helps the attorney develop. Harvard Law professors Sheila Heen and Douglas Stone found that even when the person giving feedback is well-intentioned, telling someone what they should do can “spark an emotional reaction, inject tension into the relationship, and bring communication to a halt.” Research shows that using a coaching approach to feedback is most effective. Here are 3 steps senior attorneys can take to give more effective feedback: 1️⃣ Create an atmosphere of trust and acceptance so the associate feels the senior attorney genuinely cares about their professional development. Psychological safety is a prerequisite for the associate’s brain to be open to learning. 2️⃣ Engage in a conversation with open-ended questions, based in non-judgmental curiosity, to explore the associate’s thinking, planning, and execution of the project you’re discussing. Draw out the associate’s own ideas for improvement. 3️⃣ If the associate lacks the experience or knowledge of how to improve, ask, “may I share some tips?” and then share. Asking permission helps the associate feel respected. This further lowers their defenses and opens their brain to learning. If you’ve received or given effective feedback that led to genuine growth, what worked well? Please share in the comments. #AttorneyDevelopment #ProfessionalDevelopment #EffectiveFeedback

If your feedback isn't changing behavior, you're not giving feedback—you're just complaining. After 25 years of coaching leaders through difficult conversations, I've learned that most feedback fails because it focuses on making the giver feel better rather than making the receiver better. Why most feedback doesn't work: ↳ It's delivered months after the fact ↳ It attacks personality instead of addressing behavior ↳ It assumes the person knows what to do differently ↳ It's given when emotions are high ↳ It lacks specific examples or clear direction The feedback framework that actually changes behavior: TIMING: Soon, not eventually. Give feedback within 48 hours when possible Don't save it all for annual reviews. Address issues while they're still relevant. INTENT: Lead with purpose and use statements like - "I'm sharing this because I want to see you succeed" or "This feedback comes from a place of support." Make your positive intent explicit. STRUCTURE: Use the SBI Model. ↳Situation: When and where it happened ↳Behavior: What you observed (facts, not interpretations) ↳Impact: The effect on results, relationships, or culture COLLABORATION: Solve together by using statements such as - ↳"What's your perspective on this?" ↳"What would help you succeed in this area?" ↳"How can I better support you moving forward?" Great feedback is a gift that keeps giving. When people trust your feedback, they seek it out. When they implement it successfully, they become advocates for your leadership. Your feedback skills significantly impact your leadership effectiveness. Coaching can help; let's chat. | Joshua Miller What's the best feedback tip/advice, and what made it effective? #executivecoaching #communication #leadership #performance

Most leaders avoid feedback conversations because they fear what might break. But what if the real risk is what you'll never build? According to Gallup, 80% of employees who receive meaningful feedback on a weekly basis are fully engaged (2019). Yet 37% of leaders admit they're uncomfortable giving feedback to their teams. That silence isn't kindness. It's career sabotage. I discovered this while coaching a brilliant VP who avoided giving feedback for 6 months. His reasoning? "I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings." Meanwhile, his team was stuck in a loop of repeated mistakes, missed growth, and mounting frustration. The quiet cost of silence was crushing their potential. The truth? Feedback delayed is development denied. Here's the T.R.U.S.T.™ Feedback Framework I teach my executive clients: 1/ Time it right → 60% of employees want feedback weekly → But 39% wait over three months to hear anything → Create a rhythm, not just reactions to problems 2/ Real, not rehearsed → "In yesterday's client call, I noticed..." → Specific moments create specific growth → Vague praise and vague criticism both waste time 3/ Understand the person → Different team members need different approaches → Some need direct words, others need gentle questions → Personalize delivery, not just content 4/ Safe to receive → Ask "What support do you need with this?" → Make feedback a conversation, not a verdict → This transforms defensiveness into development 5/ Two-way street → End with "What feedback do you have for me?" → Your willingness to receive transforms your right to give → This builds feedback culture, not just compliance The most powerful leaders build teams where truth flows freely in all directions. Because when feedback feels like genuine care, not criticism, performance soars. What feedback conversation have you been avoiding that could unlock someone's potential? 📌 Save this framework for your next growth conversation ➕ Follow Loren Rosario - Maldonado, PCC for human leadership

This is what I'd teach someone if they asked how to give their team member feedback and I had 10 minutes to unpack how to go about it: # 1 Come from a place of genuine love: a true care and concern for the long-term development and growth. Has to be real. Has to be 'them' focused. Has to be the MGI (Most generous interpretation) of what's happening. # 2 Truth w/o love destroys. Love w/o truth deceives. Truth and love develops. The aim is to share the truth while leaning into the relationship. Be clear and be kind. These are not mutually exclusive # 3 Clearly define the things you've observed. You're not questioning intent. You are sharing the impact. Have clear examples you can unpack and a clear why (ie, how this impacts them or the business or the team) # 4 Script the critical moves. Define what success looks like in a way that can't be misunderstood. Discuss how you'd know they are winning in this area. Use your senses: What would you see? hear? feel? And know to be true if this area of growth changed for the better. # 5 Involve them in the plan. People who weigh in, buy in. This is a two-way conversation where their involvement directly connects to the change you want to see in their life and work. # 6 Establish a timeline to check in and assess progress. It might be two weeks, or it might be four weeks. It might be every 2 weeks. The goal is to come back and discuss progress. It's direction not perfection. # 7 Encourage and highlight all signs of progress post conversation. Positively affirm any growth you're seeing. You wanna accelerate what you want to replicate. Never neglect this step. This is not foolproof. It's the micro version of a skill that takes years to learn. Getting this right can radically alter the trajectory of your team members' lives and careers. Please don't shy away from it. Lead. Lead them well. They want it. Need it. And some, not all, will thank you for it later. Speaking direct from experience. You can do this. And it matters. #KeepImpacting