Do You Know How To Give Constructive Feedback?

Peer feedback is an important part of FY22 performance reviews and is collected throughout the year using the feedback tool in Cornerstone (CSOD). While offering feedback that recognizes your peers’ strengths is welcomed, providing constructive feedback is necessary to learn where and how to improve.

What Is Constructive Feedback?

Constructive feedback is giving someone comments, suggestions and advice that are useful to their work and help achieve a positive outcome. It is constructive because it’s delivered in a way that leads to improvements. Feedback becomes destructive when it only points to faults, directly attacks the recipient and doesn’t provide advice or support.

How Do I Give Constructive Feedback?

Good constructive feedback should focus on the work; it shouldn’t be a negative attack against someone. When providing written feedback in CSOD, follow the SBIA model:

• Situation – A phrase or sentence that indicates the context of the behavior that occurred (i.e., during the presentation, while explaining the procedure)
• Behavior – A statement that describes the behavior without judgement; states the facts as specifically as possible (When you…)
• Impact – Who or what it impacts and what the impact is (I am concerned because…That was helpful because…)
• Action – Suggest an alternate way of handling an issue or what you recommend that they do in the future (I would like…Because…)

These quick tips will come in handy, too:

1. Prepare – Before you write and submit feedback, think about the positive outcome you hope your suggestion will help your co-worker achieve.
2. Don't attack or insult – Your co-worker will be more receptive to your feedback if you present it with a positive attitude.
3. Be clear and to the point – Say what you mean. Hiding something won't accomplish anything.
4. Be specific – Give examples when possible. The more detailed your feedback is, the easier it will be for your co-worker to make changes moving forward.
5. Don't tell them they are wrong – Suggest better options instead.
6. Use non-judgmental language – "What if we do this" sounds better than "this is not good." Linking positive and constructive feedback together with "but," "although" or "however" can make your compliment insincere.
7. Use the passive voice – For instance, saying “last week's presentation wasn’t the best” sounds better than saying “you prepared a bad presentation."

How Do I Receive Constructive Feedback?

Asking general questions won't get you the specific feedback you need to improve. For example, asking "How am I doing?" provokes a one-word answer. Instead, ask what you are doing well and what needs improvement.

Here are more questions you could ask to ensure you're getting balanced feedback:

• Please help me improve. Identify something specific I do well in my practice and something specific that might enhance my practice.
• Based on our work together on (insert project or committee), what is something that was effective and I should continue doing in the future? What is something that would enhance my performance going forward?
• How could I handle (insert situation or issue) better?
• Why do you think I keep having this issue and how could I improve things?
• Specifically, what do I need to work on to be ready for (insert job or assignment you're most interested in)?

For more information, see this previous article. Talk with your manager if you have questions about feedback.