Simple Steps For Giving Constructive Design Feedback

Good feedback isn't criticism— it's a gift 🎁 Here are 9 Ways to give constructive feedback: 1️⃣ Start with the Positive ↳ Begin with what’s working to create an open, receptive mindset.   🟢 Highlight specific strengths before diving into areas for improvement. 2️⃣ Be Specific, Not Vague ↳ General feedback leaves room for misinterpretation.   🟢 Point to concrete examples of actions or behaviors. 3️⃣ Use “I” Statements ↳ This reduces defensiveness and keeps the feedback constructive.   🟢 Frame your observations as your perspective, not absolute truths. 4️⃣ Focus on the Behavior, Not the Person ↳ Avoid making it personal to keep the conversation professional.   🟢 Address actions and their outcomes, not personality traits. 5️⃣ Offer Actionable Suggestions ↳ Constructive feedback is about improvement, not just criticism.   🟢 Give clear ideas on how they can enhance their performance. 6️⃣ Encourage Two-Way Dialogue ↳ Feedback should be a conversation, not a monologue.   🟢 Ask for their input and suggestions for improvement. 7️⃣ Choose the Right Time and Place ↳ Timing and environment impact how feedback is received.   🟢 Deliver feedback in private and when both parties are calm. 8️⃣ Balance Feedback with Support ↳ Show that you’re invested in their success, not just pointing out faults.   🟢 Offer resources or guidance to help them grow. 9️⃣ Follow Up on Progress ↳ Feedback is most effective when followed by action.   🟢 Recognize improvements and provide additional input when needed. 📌 PS...Feedback isn’t criticism—it’s an opportunity for growth. Start giving it effectively today. ♻️ Share this with your network to help them elevate their feedback skills! 🚀 Join 60,000+ leaders reading my daily science-backed tips on leading high-performing teams using mindset, habits and systems. No vague recommendations. All backed by science and experience. ➡️ Follow me here Harry Karydes

Your brain can't process praise and criticism simultaneously. That's why traditional feedback methods are harmful. But there's ONE discovery that creates growth, not resistance: Direct. Then Connect. Neuroscience shows our brains process praise and criticism through completely different neural pathways. That's why the "feedback sandwich" fails so spectacularly. When we buffer criticism with praise... The brain cannot process these mixed signals effectively. People see through it anyway. Studies show 74% of professionals detect sandwich feedback within seconds. Having directly managed 300+ people and coached over 100 founders on leadership and culture, I’ve seen the real impact of feedback. Here’s what works... Two simple steps: 1. DIRECT: First, get permission and deliver unfiltered feedback. "May I share some observations about your presentation?" Then state exactly what needs improvement. This activates voluntary participation, and increases receptivity greatly. 2. CONNECT: Then, separately reaffirm their value "Your contributions remain vital to our success." The key? Complete separation between these steps. Direct feedback gives a clean signal about what needs to change. Connection maintains psychological safety. They know their status isn't threatened. Getting permission isn’t a minor detail - it’s crucial. It fosters respect and trust before you give tough feedback. Setting the stage for it to land well. The neuroscience behind this is clear: A Gallup study shows regular feedback mechanisms result in 14.9% increase in employee engagement and a 21% increase in profitability. Companies implementing this see remarkable results: • Cisco saw 54% faster resolution of team conflicts • Adobe reported 30% reduction in employee turnover • Pixar found 22% higher willingness to challenge assumptions • Microsoft under Nadella accelerated deployment cycles by 31% The traditional sandwich approach can feel safer, but it creates distrust. Direct Then Connect can feel scarier, but it builds psychological safety. Humans are wired to prioritize belonging above almost everything. When feedback threatens our status, our brains go into protection mode. When feedback becomes clear and non-threatening, learning accelerates. Implementing this approach requires courage. You have to trust your relationship is strong enough to handle direct feedback. But that's the paradox: By being more direct, you actually build stronger relationships. Try it with your team this week. You might feel uncomfortable at first, but watch what happens to your culture. When feedback becomes clear and non-threatening, learning accelerates. And companies that learn faster win. - If you liked this post? Follow us for more insights on conscious leadership and building companies from the inside out. Proud to coach with Inside-Out Leadership: executive coaching by trained coaches who have founded, funded, scaled, & sold their own companies.

Great feedback is a shared conversation, not a one-sided list of issues and opinions. Even experienced leaders aren’t immune. Many feel uneasy  or avoid feedback altogether, worried it’ll backfire or strain the relationship. Because let’s be honest:   𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥. The timing. The tone. The impact. There’s a lot that gets in the way. Just saying “Are you open to feedback?” Can make someone brace for the worst. And yet, employees want feedback. Gallup data show that 80% of employees are more engaged when it’s  regular, clear, and focused on growth. Here’s what’s missing:  A 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. A real, two-way one. 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝟱 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: 1️⃣ Start with a question, not a critique. 🟢 Ask: “What’s your take on that client meeting?” 🟢 Let them share fully. Don’t rush to respond 🟢 Reflect back what you heard before adding input 2️⃣ Make your intent clear, not assumed 🟢 Say: “I have feedback to support your growth”  🟢 Ask: “How open to that are you right now?” 🟢 Use “I noticed” instead of “you should” 🟢 Stay focused on shared goals, not just gaps 3️⃣ Build the solution together 🟢 Ask: “What’s one thing we could try next time?” 🟢 Ask them for ideas before offering your own  🟢 It helps avoid defaulting to your solution 4️⃣ Recommit to growth moving forward 🟢 Ask: “What will help you keep building this skill?”  🟢 Reinforce the why behind the feedback  🟢 Agree on how you’ll support their next steps 5️⃣ Invite feedback on your feedback 🟢 Ask: “How was this helpful or not?” 🟢 Explore what would make it easier next time 🟢 Be open to adjusting how you give feedback Make feedback a two-way conversation.  Not a download. Not a judgment. Just two humans…talking, learning, growing. How do you prepare to give honest feedback? —————————— ♻️ Repost to share this with your team or leaders. 🔔 Follow Justin Hills for human-first leadership.

I heard Jason Fried, CEO at 37signals give feedback to a designer once, and it blew me away. Here’s what he said: “I like how you designed the save icon. It makes it clear that the work is being saved.” “I wish there was a way to show when the saving is done. “What if the icon turned green when it was finished saving?” Simple, right? But there’s some powerful psychology at work here. 1. Affirmation first. Jason starts with what’s working. This creates a sense of safety and keeps the designer open to feedback. People are more likely to listen when they feel valued. 2. Make it collaborative. Instead of saying, “This is wrong” or “You need to fix this,” Jason says, “I wish…” and “What if…” These phrases invite problem-solving rather than defensiveness. 3. Be specific. The feedback isn’t vague, like “Make it better.” It’s actionable: “What if the icon turned green?” Clarity reduces friction and makes the next step obvious. This isn’t just about design. It’s about leadership. Sales. Relationships. People respond better to feedback when it’s thoughtful, collaborative, and clear. So next time you give feedback, try Jason’s approach: I like. I wish. What if.

My go-to method for giving feedback to my students (it's NOT a "compliment sandwich" :) 👉 It's COIN! C - Context O - Observation I - Impact N - Next steps For example: "In our mock interview (C), I noticed that you kept circling back and repeating information when describing your design process (O). This repetition could potentially give the impression that you're unsure of your own methods (I). Let's work on creating a clear, linear narrative for each project and practice it until you can confidently deliver it within 2-3 minutes (N)." Why it works ↴ - It's clear and direct. No sugar-coating! - It focuses on specific actions and their effects. - It provides actionable next steps. - It avoids confusion (the feedback receiver knows exactly what to work on) What's your go-to feedback method? Share your thoughts below! 👇 #ux #uxcareers #UXLeadership #FeedbackTips

The feedback sandwich often misses the mark and can even backfire. Instead of creating clarity, it can muddy the message and feel insincere. Let's dive into why this approach doesn't work and explore a better way to give feedback with Radical Candor. ❌ What Not to Do: "Great job! But the presentation lacked details. Still, I appreciate your enthusiasm." ✅ What to Do Instead: Use CORE: 🔸 Context: Cite the specific situation. 🔸 Observation: Describe what was said or done. 🔸 Result: Explain the consequence. 🔸 Expected nExt stEps: Outline the expected next steps. Example of CORE Feedback: "I asked you to help us be more efficient (Context). You went above and beyond by implementing Slack (Observation). The team is now spending less time on email and more time communicating effectively (Result). We'd love for you to explore other tools to streamline communication in the office (Expected nExt stEps)." Giving feedback is crucial for growth, but it needs to be clear, kind, and actionable. Read more: https://bit.ly/3LhIzZ2 #ManagementTips #RadicalCandor #Leadership #Feedback #COREMethod #EffectiveCommunication #GrowthMindset

Conversations of consequence are substantive conversations that allow us to directly address issues, resolve problems, and deliver great results. If we're not able to have these “conversations" at work, it’s likely that we aren't communicating effectively as an organization and limiting our ability to accomplish big things. Perhaps more importantly, when we don't have conversations of consequence, feedback is not getting to the right people at the right time. Feedback (information, data, stories) that are critical to making decisions and understanding how the business is performing in the moment. To help us all, the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) has created an easy to understand and use model for people within organizations to have these kinds of conversations. The "Situation, Behavior, Impact" (SBI) model is a framework designed for people on your team to provide clear and actionable feedback. It helps individuals give feedback in a way that is specific, objective, and focused on observable behaviors rather than personal attributes. The model is particularly effective in professional settings, where clear communication and constructive feedback are crucial for personal and organizational growth. Here's a breakdown of each component of the SBI feedback model: Situation (S): Start by describing the specific situation where the behavior happened. This provides context and helps the recipient understand when and where the behavior took place." Example: "During our team meeting this morning..." Behavior (B): Describe the person's actions clearly and objectively, focusing on what they did without making judgments or assumptions. Example: "...when you interrupted me while I was speaking..." Impact (I): Explain the effects of the person's behavior on others or the situation. This helps them understand the consequences of their actions and how it made you feel. Example: "...it made me feel like my contributions were not valued, and disrupted the flow of the discussion." The SBI feedback model is effective because it makes the feedback clear, specific, and actionable. It avoids generalizations or personal attacks, focusing on observable actions and their consequences. Using this model, feedback is delivered in a non-confrontational way, helping individuals clearly see how their behavior impacts others. It's especially useful for those looking to improve, as the feedback is specific, constructive, and directly linked to real situations. This model can be used in many situations; performance reviews, in cases of resolving conflict, and daily communication. It can help to strengthen relationships and support personal and professional growth. Now that you have the SBI framework, try it out. It should bring a new level of confidence to those "conversations of consequence" we need to be having. #leadership #situationbehaviorimpact #CCL #execution