Writing Feedback That Is Thoughtfully Crafted

On kindness in peer review: 9 better ways to say “This paper needs work" Every so often, I come across a reviewer comment that calls a contribution trivial or says it “does not rise to the level expected” at a journal. When I see that language, I wince. Even if the critique has merit, it often overshadows otherwise valuable points in the review. Why? Because it makes the authors feel like the entire review team—not just one reviewer—didn’t see any merit in their work. So, what can we do instead? To help authors actually use your feedback? Soften your tone—not your standards. Use language that clearly signals concern about the contribution without shutting down the possibility for improvement. Rather than making the author angry, use language that engages the author with your comments and encourages them to improve their work. Here are nine thoughtful phrases I’ve seen good reviewers use this past year, that encourage engagement. They’re especially useful in peer review, mentorship, or conference feedback: 1. "The core argument feels underdeveloped, and I had trouble fully engaging with it." This gently signals the paper didn’t land, while pointing to a fixable issue. 2. "I struggled to connect with the contribution—perhaps more framing or positioning could clarify its relevance." Invites the author to sharpen the positioning of their work. 3. "The paper raises important questions, but the current structure makes it difficult to appreciate its full impact." Encourages authors to revise the structure for better clarity. 4. "I found myself wanting more clarity on how this piece fits into the broader conversation." Suggests adding context. Consider: “It doesn’t resonate with me because the context is missing.” 5. "This may reflect my own disciplinary perspective, but I had difficulty connecting with the theoretical framing." Acknowledges your own lens and invites the author to strengthen their framing for a wider audience. 6. "The writing is thoughtful, but I had trouble seeing how the pieces come together to form a cohesive narrative." Encourages a shift from listing elements to telling a coherent story. 7. "The manuscript feels preliminary—there’s potential here, but it’s not fully realized yet." Flags underdevelopment without sounding dismissive or harsh. 8. "The contribution may benefit from more grounding in empirical or theoretical detail to fully resonate with readers." Only use this if you can specify what detail is needed. 9. "This version didn’t quite land for me, but I believe with revision and sharper focus, it could really shine." Provides an honest, hopeful invitation to revise. Never forget. Reviewing is about stewardship. It’s about helping authors make their work stronger—even when it’s not there yet. So rather than tearing down papers, offer a well-phrased critique, that encourages authors to keep working. #PeerReview #AcademicWriting #AcademicJourney #AcademicCulture

According to Gallup, only 26% of employees say that the feedback they receive is helpful. The primary reason employees cite for this is that feedback tends to be a one-way conversation, and it feels like criticism or judgment. Great leaders don’t criticize or judge because that’s not helpful. Research suggests that one-way feedback only improves performance about one-third of the time, and actually makes it worse one-third of the time. Great leaders coach. They turn feedback conversations into coaching conversations. Coaches ask a lot of questions, and spend less time speaking than the person they are coaching. I recommend starting a feedback conversation with an open-ended question like, “What are your thoughts about how the assignment went?” If the team member fails to mention an area that you would like to see improved, here’s how I recommend sharing constructive feedback.   First, the mindset is really important. I recommend approaching feedback with the mindset of wanting to help the team member grow and to excel at what they do because that’s what’s best for them. If you can express this authentically, it can be very helpful to initiate a feedback conversation by saying something like, “I’d like to share some thoughts on helping you hit some of your goals.” Even better, if you can express this authentically, is a preface to feedback that boosts both effort and performance so significantly that the researchers from Stanford, Columbia, and Yale who discovered it call it “wise feedback” that is almost “magical.” And it’s just one, brief sentence: “I’m giving you these comments because I have very high expectations and I know that you can reach them.” The simple sentence above reinforces that you have the best interests of the team member in mind, and that you truly care about that person.   Second, feedback needs to be specific and objective. Instead of saying things like “You handled that call poorly,” which is an opinion that could trigger a feeling of defensiveness, I recommend saying, “On the call, you said _________,” which is a specific, objective statement. Here’s another chance to be a coach. You could ask the team member, “What do you think might be a more effective thing to say?” Third, to be most helpful, I recommend explaining why the improvement is important and how it will help the team member to see better results and hit a specific team goal or meet a specific expectation.   If possible, you could even connect how improving in this area will help the team member to achieve one or more of their personal goals.   Finally, I recommend asking how you could help the team member implement the change. If the team member can’t think of a way you could help, you could make a suggestion like doing a practice run with you. These simple habits can transform feedback from something everyone avoids into inspiring conversations that everyone looks forward to.

As performance review season approaches, I've been reflecting on a conversation from over a decade ago that still sits with me today. During my review, my manager told me I "needed to work on my confidence." When I asked for clarification, she said, "Think about how [male colleague] would have handled this situation." I can't fully fault my manager - who was herself a woman. We all carry internalized biases that we've absorbed from years of working in systems that often value traditionally masculine behaviors. It's a stark reminder that unlearning these patterns requires conscious effort from all of us, regardless of gender. That moment crystallized something I've observed throughout my career: vague feedback often masks unconscious bias, particularly in performance reviews. "Lack of confidence" is frequently used as shorthand to describe women's leadership styles, while similar behavior in male colleagues might be viewed as "thoughtful" or "measured." Here's what I wish that manager had said instead: 🔹 "I'd like you to take the lead in proposing solutions to the team, rather than waiting to be called on." 🔹"Let's work on defending your decisions with data when faced with pushback from folks." 🔹"I noticed you often preface your ideas with "I think..." Let's practice delivering recommendations with clear rationale and conviction." 🔹"Here are specific techniques to influence cross-functional stakeholders more effectively." As leaders, we are responsible for being intentional and specific in our feedback. Vague critiques like "needs more confidence" or "should be more assertive" without concrete examples or actionable guidance don't help our reports grow – they perpetuate harmful stereotypes. To my fellow managers preparing for year-end reviews: 🔹Be specific about behaviors, not personality traits 🔹Provide clear examples and contexts 🔹Outline actionable steps for improvement 🔹Check your biases - are you applying the same standards across your team? Remember: The impact of your words may last far longer than the conversation itself. #Leadership #PerformanceReviews #UnconsciousBias #WomenInBusiness #ProfessionalDevelopment

Wednesday writing tip: Good feedback is direct, clear and kind. I’m Swedish, we're known to be blunt. But early in my career, I learned the difference between directness and cruelty. Feedback without empathy is cruelty. As an intern at a major newspaper, I worked with an editor who was young, rising fast—and a total asshole. My first week, I turned in a story he hated. The red ink didn’t bother me. What did? He yelled in my face, loud enough to silence the newsroom. I wanted to die on the spot. Minutes later, his boss—who’d actually hired me—pulled me aside. Calm, clear and kind, she walked me through her edits. I learned more from that one conversation than anything else in that newsroom. It’s been over 20 years, and I still remember him as the meanest editor I’ve ever worked with. If you're giving feedback to someone new to writing, journalism or marketing, remember: You’re not just fixing copy. You’re shaping someone’s confidence, career and voice. Great feedback does three things: •Focuses on the work, not the writer •Respects the writer’s intention, even if they’ve missed the mark •Offers clear suggestions, not vague opinions And don’t ever lose your temper just because you’re working with a novice. That’s not editing. That’s insecurity in a louder outfit. Don’t be the person remembered decades later as talented but completely overshadowed by their assholery. (Photo: Me at vegan eatery Every Kind Moment in Bangkok's Watthana District.) #WritingTips #Editing #Storytelling #Writing #ContentStrategy #Ghostwriting

"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.