How to Provide Meaningful Feedback

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

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

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

When I first stepped into a management role, my focus was on maintaining 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 and 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 my team’s efforts. I believed that since they were professionals, they must already be aware of their own 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. I didn’t want to make anyone 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 or risk being disliked—I was a people pleaser at heart. However, in my eagerness to stay upbeat and 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, I overlooked crucial opportunities for growth and development. It was a hard lesson to learn, but it taught me that feedback isn’t just about praise—it’s about 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹. Research shows that 𝟲𝟱% of employees want more feedback and are eager to learn and grow. Yet, without 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸, we're missing a key opportunity to develop our teams effectively. It’s not just about being positive; it’s about being 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 and setting boundaries that help our team members 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲. Here are five steps to give feedback like a pro: 𝗕𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰: Focus on specific behaviors or situations rather than general traits. Clear examples make feedback more actionable. 𝗕𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘆:  Provide feedback as close to the event as possible to ensure it’s relevant and can be immediately applied. 𝗕𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱:  Combine positive feedback with constructive criticism to motivate and guide improvement without demoralizing. 𝗕𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲:  Engage in a two-way conversation where you listen to their perspective and work together on solutions. 𝗕𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲:  Offer guidance and resources to help them address the feedback and grow from the experience. Setting boundaries and delivering actionable feedback are skills that can be learned and refined. If you’re struggling to provide the kind of feedback that fuels growth and motivates your team, I’m here to help you navigate that journey. 📈 Ready to transform your feedback approach and help your team grow? Let's connect and unlock the potential within your team together. #Leadership #Feedback #TeamGrowth #Management #EmployeeDevelopment #ConstructiveFeedback #ProfessionalGrowth

The most painful feedback I received was always from people who had good intentions, but sucked at giving feedback. They focused on my personality... or my own personal style/approach. They tried to make me more like them, instead of helping me be a better version of myself. So what's the secret to giving good feedback?? 1. Focus on behaviors/actions and impact. Example: You were more than 5mins late to two of our 1:1s this week. When you are late, we have to rush through the agenda and bump items. What are your thoughts? 2. Do not assume the other person's intentions. (The more intelligent you are, the more difficult this one is, btw.) 3. Be prepared to share resources and potential alternatives. Example: Set reminders; block off a buffer prior to our meeting to ensure you don't get stuck on a call, etc. That's it. Don't overcomplicate it. #People #culture #smallbiz

"I'm just going to be direct with you." I once had a business partner who would preface feedback this way—and then just spew whatever was on his mind. He thought he was being helpful, but he wasn’t. He wasn’t positioning the feedback in a way that the person could hear it. He only wanted to get that feedback off his chest. That’s not a good leader (... or colleague, or friend, or parent.) If you have feedback to give, think about how you can deliver it in a way that will be well received. The Situation-Behavior-Impact model (link in comments) is the best approach I've seen. Instead of jumping straight to judgment, you: 1. Start by getting on the same page about the situation. 2. Then, you describe what you observed. No assumptions about intent. It’s clear and objective. 3. Then, you finally share the impact. This framework has impacted every relationship I have in my life. I even used it with my kids. When they'd come to me, complaining about each other, I taught them this approach, and over time, they learned to address their issues with each other directly. As adults, they’re now excellent at giving feedback to each other and their friends. And, of course, to me! Developing the skills to give and receive honest, thoughtful feedback is one of the most valuable things you can do for your culture. How are you equipping your teams with these skills? Ready to dig deeper? Subscribe to my email newsletter for more leadership insights. https://lnkd.in/ePKX2VC8.

Not sure where to start with giving feedback? Try the SBI model. I first learned about this technique when I was working at the Center for Creative Leadership. We used it all the time to handle conflict and give meaningful feedback. Let’s dive in: 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Clearly explain the context and situation in which the behavior happened. (i.e. “When we were all eating lunch in the break room last week…”) 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿: Detail the exact behavior, focusing on objective facts, rather than emotion. (i.e. “They laughed and made references to something inappropriate and unrelated to work…”) 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: Explain how the behavior affected you, allowing the person to understand the impact of their actions. (i.e. “It made me feel uncomfortable…hampering my abilities to focus and feel like a part of the team.”) Why do I like SBI? It allows the recipient to clearly understand what they did and how it affected others, making it easier for them to change their behavior. Try it next time you’re struggling to give feedback.