How can you give feedback that is timely and relevant to your team's performance?

1 Understand the purpose of feedback

Giving timely and relevant feedback starts with understanding why you are giving it and what you want to achieve. Feedback can be used to recognize and praise good work, coach and develop skills, correct and prevent mistakes, resolve and prevent conflicts, and encourage and motivate performance. Depending on the purpose, you may need to adjust your tone, timing, frequency, and format of your feedback; for instance, positive feedback should be given promptly while constructive feedback should be given in private with specific examples.

2 Use the SBI model

The SBI model is a useful framework to structure feedback, helping you to give feedback that is specific, objective, and actionable. This model involves describing the Situation, Behavior, and Impact. For example, you can start by describing the context and occasion when the behavior occurred (Situation), then describe the observable and measurable behavior (Behavior), and finally describe the effect or outcome of the behavior (Impact). This helps to avoid vague or personal judgments, and instead focus on the facts and results.

3 Consider diversity and inclusion

When giving feedback, it is important to consider diversity and inclusion. Diversity and inclusion refer to the respect and appreciation of the differences and similarities among people in terms of their backgrounds, identities, experiences, perspectives, and preferences. To ensure that your feedback is timely and relevant, be aware of your own biases and assumptions, respectful and sensitive to the cultural and communication styles of your team members, open and curious to learn from them, and supportive and inclusive of their strengths. By considering diversity and inclusion, you can give feedback that is tailored to your team members' needs, goals, and values, which will foster a positive work environment.

4 Seek feedback on your feedback

Finally, one of the best ways to improve your feedback skills is to seek feedback on your feedback. This means asking your team members how they feel about the feedback you give them, what they find helpful or not, and how you can make it more effective and relevant. You can also ask your peers, managers, or mentors for their feedback on your feedback style and learn from their best practices and suggestions. Doing so is a sign of humility, openness, and continuous learning that can help you evaluate the impact of your feedback on team performance, identify and address any gaps in the process, refine your skills and techniques, and build trust with stakeholders. Ultimately, seeking feedback on your feedback enables you to give timely and relevant feedback that is beneficial for team performance.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?