Feedback Frameworks¶

Feedback is not something that happens at performance review time. It's a continuous practice—a habit that, when done well, accelerates growth, prevents problems from festering, and builds trust.

Most teams struggle with feedback not because people don't care, but because they lack a shared language for it. Without structure, feedback tends toward two failure modes: vague positivity that doesn't help anyone improve, or blunt criticism that damages relationships without producing change. The frameworks in this page provide a middle path: clear, specific, and kind.

The goal is to make feedback frequent enough that it's unremarkable, specific enough that it's actionable, and safe enough that people seek it out rather than avoid it.

The problem feedback frameworks solve¶

Unstructured feedback fails in predictable ways:

• Vague praise: "Great job" doesn't tell anyone what to repeat.
• Delayed criticism: Issues raised six months later feel unfair and are hard to address.
• Character attacks: "You're not a team player" triggers defensiveness, not growth.
• Sandwich confusion: Burying critical feedback between compliments makes it easy to miss the point.
• Feedback avoidance: When giving feedback feels risky, people stop doing it—and problems compound.

Feedback frameworks provide structure that makes feedback easier to give, easier to receive, and more likely to produce change. They separate observation from interpretation, focus on behavior rather than character, and orient toward the future rather than litigating the past.

When to use these frameworks¶

Use structured feedback frameworks when:

• You need to give someone specific, actionable feedback about a recent situation.
• You're addressing a recurring pattern that needs to change.
• You're coaching someone through a conflict or difficult situation.
• You want to reinforce positive behaviors with enough detail that they stick.
• You're receiving feedback and want to understand it clearly.

When frameworks aren't enough¶

Feedback frameworks help with clear communication, but they don't solve:

• Fundamental disagreements about expectations. If someone doesn't agree with the standard, feedback about not meeting it won't land. Align on expectations first.
• Trust that's already broken. In low-trust situations, even well-structured feedback may be received defensively. Rebuild relationship first.
• Systemic issues. If the problem is the process, the workload, or the team structure, giving individual feedback won't fix it.
• Performance conversations that require formal documentation. Use feedback frameworks as input to performance management, not as a substitute.

Roles and responsibilities¶

The leader's job is to model both sides: giving feedback clearly, and receiving it openly. If you only give feedback but become defensive when you receive it, you teach your team that feedback flows downhill.

Framework 1: SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact)¶

SBI is the most broadly useful feedback framework. It forces specificity and separates what happened from how you felt about it.

Structure¶

Why it works¶

SBI keeps feedback anchored to facts. It avoids labels ("you're always disrespectful") and focuses on behavior ("in this situation, you did this"). This makes feedback easier to hear and easier to act on.

Example: Constructive feedback¶

"In this morning's standup, when you said the backend team's approach 'doesn't make sense,' without explaining why, I noticed they went quiet for the rest of the meeting. The impact was that we lost their input on the tradeoffs, and they may feel dismissed."

Example: Positive feedback¶

"In the incident last Thursday, you immediately started documenting what you were doing in the shared channel. That meant when the next responder joined, they had full context and could help right away. It significantly shortened our time to resolution."

When to use SBI¶

• Day-to-day feedback, both positive and constructive.
• Peer feedback.
• Situations where you need to be specific but not formal.

Framework 2: SBI-I (SBI + Intent)¶

An extension of SBI that invites dialogue by asking about the person's intent.

Structure¶

After delivering SBI, add: "Help me understand—what was your intent?"

Why it works¶

Sometimes what looks like problematic behavior has a reasonable explanation. Asking about intent shows you're curious, not accusatory. It also surfaces misunderstandings before they harden into assumptions.

Example¶

"In the planning meeting, you pushed back hard on the timeline without acknowledging the customer constraint. The PM seemed frustrated, and the discussion stalled. Help me understand—what were you trying to achieve?"

The response might reveal they had information the PM didn't have, or that they felt unheard earlier, or that they were simply having a bad day. Now you can have a real conversation.

Framework 3: DESC (Describe, Express, Specify, Consequences)¶

DESC is useful when you need to address a pattern and want to be clear about expectations going forward.

Structure¶

Why it works¶

DESC is direct. It doesn't hide the ask, and it makes consequences explicit. This is appropriate for situations where a pattern needs to change.

When to use DESC¶

• Addressing repeated issues.
• Setting expectations after a performance conversation.
• Situations where clarity matters more than softness.

Framework 4: Nonviolent Communication (NVC) for high-stakes conversations¶

NVC (inspired by Marshall Rosenberg's work) is useful when emotions are high or when you need to navigate conflict carefully.

Structure¶

Why it works¶

NVC separates observation from evaluation and invites the other person to meet a need rather than defend against an attack. It's especially useful in peer-to-peer feedback where power dynamics are equal.

When to use NVC¶

• Peer conflicts.
• Giving feedback upward (to your manager).
• Situations where trust is fragile.

Receiving feedback well¶

Feedback frameworks work both directions. Receiving feedback well is a skill that builds trust and encourages others to keep giving it.

Guidelines for receiving feedback¶

1. Listen fully before responding. Don't interrupt or explain. Let them finish.
2. Assume positive intent. Even clumsily delivered feedback usually comes from a place of wanting to help.
3. Ask clarifying questions. "Can you give me an example?" or "What would better look like?"
4. Thank them. Even if you disagree. Giving feedback takes courage.
5. Take time to process. You don't have to respond immediately. "Thank you—I want to think about this."
6. Close the loop. Follow up later to share what you did with the feedback.

Script: Receiving feedback gracefully¶

"Thank you for sharing that. Can you help me understand—what would you have
liked me to do differently? I want to make sure I understand before I react."

Building a feedback culture¶

Frameworks help individuals, but culture determines whether feedback happens at all. To build a team where feedback is normal:

Leaders model giving and receiving. Ask for feedback publicly. Share how you've acted on it. Give feedback in team settings (when appropriate) so others see how it's done.

Make it routine. Build feedback prompts into retrospectives, one-on-ones, and project wrap-ups. Don't wait for performance review season.

Celebrate growth, not perfection. Recognize when someone improves based on feedback. This signals that feedback is for development, not judgment.

Create safety for hard feedback. When someone delivers difficult feedback, don't punish them for it—even if it's uncomfortable. Thank them for the courage.

Coach on frameworks. Share SBI with your team. Practice it in low-stakes situations. Make the language shared.

Templates and scripts¶

SBI feedback template¶

**Situation:** [When and where?]
**Behavior:** [What did you observe?]
**Impact:** [What was the result?]

---

[Optional: What would better look like?]

Requesting feedback¶

"I'd value your feedback on [specific area]. What's one thing I did well,
and one thing I could improve? I'm trying to get better at [skill]."

Giving positive feedback (SBI)¶

"I wanted to share some positive feedback. In [situation], when you
[behavior], the impact was [result]. I wanted you to know that was noticed
and appreciated."

Giving constructive feedback (SBI)¶

"I have some feedback I'd like to share. In [situation], I observed
[behavior]. The impact was [result]. I'm sharing this because I want to
help you grow. What's your take?"

Slack message requesting feedback¶

Hey [name]—I'm working on improving how I [skill]. Would you have 5 minutes
to share feedback on how I handled [specific situation]? No pressure if
you're swamped, but I'd really value your perspective.

Signals that feedback is working¶

Failure modes and mitigations¶

Further reading¶

• Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen — The definitive guide to receiving feedback well.
• Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg — The source material for NVC.
• Radical Candor by Kim Scott — A framework for caring personally while challenging directly.
• Crucial Conversations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, and Switzler — Navigating high-stakes dialogue.

Related pages¶

• One-on-Ones — The primary venue for feedback conversations
• Growth Plans — Translating feedback into development goals
• Performance Management — Formal reviews informed by continuous feedback
• Coaching New Tech Leads — Helping new leaders develop feedback skills
• Team Ops: Conflict Resolution — When feedback alone isn't enough