How to Give Effective Feedback: A Guide for Business Leaders and Managers

Giving feedback is a crucial part of leadership. Whether you’re praising your team for a job well done or guiding them through areas for improvement, how you deliver that feedback can make a big difference. The goal of feedback is always to help people grow, but delivering it effectively requires understanding the unique preferences of each employee, knowing the right time and place, and making sure the feedback is clear, constructive, and actionable.

In this guide, we’ll cover proven feedback methods like the SBI (Situation, Behavior, Impact) model, explain how to tailor feedback to individual preferences, and offer guidance on the right settings for giving feedback—whether it’s public or private, in writing, or face-to-face. We’ll also tackle the popular but controversial sandwich method and provide a clear perspective on its effectiveness. By the end, you’ll have the tools to create a culture of feedback that helps your team thrive.

Feedback is a powerful tool for growth. When done right, it helps employees understand their strengths, improve on weaknesses, and feel more connected to the team and the company’s goals. But feedback isn’t just about delivering criticism or praise—it’s about shaping behavior and fostering trust. Regular, constructive feedback leads to improved performance and better relationships between managers and employees.

For feedback to have the most impact, it should be clear, specific, and tied to the business’s core values. Whether you’re highlighting a success or addressing a challenge, feedback that’s thoughtful and well-delivered helps employees understand how their actions contribute to the company’s success.

Before diving into specific techniques, let’s start with a few fundamental rules for effective feedback:

1. Be specific, not vague: Avoid general comments like “Great job” or “You need to improve.” Instead, be clear about what the employee did well or what needs improvement. For example, instead of saying “Good work,” say, “Your attention to detail on the last project saved us time during the client review.”
2. Focus on behavior, not personality: Feedback should always target actions, not the person’s character. For instance, instead of saying “You’re always late,” say, “I noticed that you were late to three meetings this week, and it caused delays for the team.”
3. Keep it timely: Don’t wait too long to give feedback. The closer feedback is to the event, the more relevant and impactful it is.
4. Make it a two-way conversation: Feedback should invite a dialogue, not feel like a lecture. Encourage employees to share their perspective and work together on a plan for improvement or continued success.
5. Align it with core values: Feedback is most effective when it ties back to the company’s core values. This reinforces the behaviors that are most important for your business.

The SBI (Situation, Behavior, Impact) model is a straightforward way to structure feedback so it’s clear and actionable. It helps keep your comments focused on specific behaviors and the impact those behaviors have on the team or business. Here’s how it works:

• Situation: Start by describing the specific situation where the behavior occurred. This grounds your feedback in a real-world context and helps the employee recall the event.
  • Example: “During the last project meeting…”
• Behavior: Next, describe the behavior you observed. Be specific about what the employee did, and avoid judgmental language.
  • Example: “You interrupted John several times when he was explaining his ideas.”
• Impact: Finally, explain the impact of that behavior on the team, the project, or the company. This helps the employee understand the consequences of their actions and why the feedback is important.
  • Example: “This made it harder for the team to understand John’s point and slowed down our decision-making process.”

Putting it all together:

• Situation: “During the last project meeting…”
• Behavior: “You interrupted John several times when he was explaining his ideas.”
• Impact: “This slowed down the meeting and made it harder for us to fully understand John’s suggestions.”

This feedback is clear, specific, and action-focused. It helps the employee understand exactly what happened and why it matters, without being personal or vague.

One of the most important factors in delivering effective feedback is recognizing that different employees prefer different approaches. Some may appreciate direct, in-person feedback, while others might feel more comfortable with a written summary they can reflect on later. As a leader, it’s important to understand these preferences to ensure your feedback is well-received.

Here are a few ways to figure out how your employees prefer to receive feedback:

• Ask them directly: During one-on-one meetings, ask how they prefer to receive feedback. This can help avoid misunderstandings and makes the feedback process feel more collaborative.
  • Example: “What’s the best way for you to get feedback? Do you prefer face-to-face conversations, or would you rather get an email to review first?”
• Pay attention to past interactions: Notice how different team members respond to various types of feedback. Does someone seem more open when feedback is given in private? Does another person respond better when they have time to process written feedback?
• Create an open-door policy: Make sure your team knows that they can come to you with questions or concerns about feedback. This builds trust and encourages ongoing conversations about performance.

Tailoring your feedback to each employee’s preferences shows that you respect their working style and helps create a more positive, productive conversation.

Knowing when to give feedback in public versus in private is key to making sure your message has the desired effect. Public recognition can be a great tool for motivating employees and encouraging team collaboration, while private feedback is essential for addressing issues or sensitive topics.

Public recognition is best for celebrating achievements or acknowledging behaviors that align with your company’s values. It boosts morale, reinforces positive behaviors, and sets an example for others.

• When to use public recognition:
• A team member has gone above and beyond on a project.
• You want to reinforce a behavior that aligns with the company’s values.
• You want to boost team morale by highlighting individual or team successes. Example: “I want to recognize Sarah for her leadership during the product launch. Her coordination kept the team on track, and we met every deadline.”

On the other hand, private feedback should be used for more constructive or corrective conversations. Critiquing someone in front of their peers can make them feel embarrassed or defensive, which can damage trust. Private feedback creates a safe environment where the employee can respond openly and work through challenges without feeling judged by others.

• When to use private feedback:
• When addressing sensitive issues or underperformance.
• When the feedback is part of a larger discussion about career development.
• When an employee might feel embarrassed by the feedback in front of peers. Example: In a one-on-one, you might say, “I noticed during the last meeting that you seemed disengaged. Is there anything on your mind, or any way I can help you feel more involved?”

Feedback can be delivered in many ways: in person, in writing, over the phone, or via video calls for remote teams. Choosing the right method depends on the situation and the employee’s preferences.

Face-to-face feedback allows for immediate conversation and is usually the best approach for more sensitive or detailed discussions. It’s personal, direct, and ensures there’s room for questions or clarification.

• When to use verbal feedback:
• For complex situations that require discussion.
• When addressing sensitive issues that need a personal touch.
• When you want to show empathy or support. Example: “Let’s talk about the last presentation. It felt rushed, and I’d like to understand what happened so we can improve next time.”

Written feedback is useful for formal reviews or when you need to document feedback for future reference. It gives the employee time to reflect and come back with any questions, but it can sometimes feel less personal.

• When to use written feedback:
• For formal performance reviews or detailed assessments.
• When you need a record of the feedback.
• When the employee prefers to reflect before responding. Example: “In your last project, your attention to detail really stood out. However, there were some delays in communication with the client. Let’s work on improving response times.”

Phone or video calls are great for remote employees or when an in-person meeting isn’t possible. They offer a more personal touch than written feedback but still allow for a real-time conversation.

• When to use phone or video feedback:
• For remote workers or distributed teams.
• When in-person meetings aren’t feasible but a conversation is needed.
• For quick check-ins or feedback that doesn’t require a formal meeting. Example: On a video call, you might say, “I wanted to quickly discuss how the client call went yesterday. Overall, great work, but I noticed some areas where we could clarify our messaging next time.”

The sandwich method—where you sandwich criticism between two pieces of praise—has been a popular feedback technique for years. The idea is that by starting and ending with positive feedback, the employee will be more receptive to the criticism in the middle. However, while this method can soften the blow of negative feedback, it often dilutes the message.

Here’s why the sandwich method may not be the best approach:

1. It can feel insincere: If the praise feels forced or only exists to cushion the criticism, the employee might see right through it and feel manipulated.
2. It distracts from the core message: By focusing too much on balancing praise with criticism, the real point of the feedback can get lost. The employee might leave unsure of what exactly needs improvement.
3. It reduces the impact of praise: If employees expect criticism every time they hear praise, the positive feedback loses its motivational value.

Instead of using the sandwich method, focus on being direct but constructive. Use the SBI model to clearly explain the behavior and its impact, and follow up with actionable steps the employee can take to improve. If there’s positive feedback to give, share it separately to ensure it feels genuine and not like a buffer for the negative.

For feedback to be meaningful and consistent, it should always tie back to the company’s core values and standards. This helps employees understand how their behaviors align with the larger mission of the business and reinforces the values that are important to the company’s success.

1. Identify the relevant core value: When preparing to give feedback, think about which core value or business standard the behavior relates to. This provides context for the employee and helps them see how their actions contribute to the bigger picture.
   • Example: “One of our core values is teamwork, and I wanted to recognize how you demonstrated that by supporting your colleagues during the last project.”
2. Make the connection clear: When delivering feedback, explicitly mention the value that was upheld or not met. This helps employees understand why the feedback matters to the company.
   • Example: “Our company values customer satisfaction, and your quick response to the client’s concerns really helped maintain that standard.”
3. Use values for constructive feedback: For corrective feedback, explain how the behavior didn’t align with the company’s standards and provide specific steps to improve.
   • Example: “Our standard is to respond to customer inquiries within 24 hours, but I noticed there were delays last week. Let’s work on improving response times to better meet our goals.”

Mastering the art of feedback means being thoughtful about when, where, and how you deliver it. By understanding your team’s preferences, choosing the right method, and aligning your feedback with core values, you create an environment where feedback isn’t something to fear—it’s something that drives growth and success.

Instead of relying on outdated methods like the sandwich technique, focus on being clear, direct, and constructive with the SBI model. Encourage a feedback-rich culture where employees feel supported and motivated to improve, and where recognition is given genuinely and publicly to celebrate wins.

Ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? Start giving feedback that builds trust, drives performance, and helps your team grow.