Mastering the Art of Feedback

As Ken Blanchard famously said, “Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions” and it’s hard to argue with this – except of course when it’s delivered badly, and we end up with indigestion!

And it can be handled badly, especially when emotions get in the way on both sides – so whilst effective feedback is essential for personal and professional growth, delivering it in a constructive and clear manner can be challenging for both the person giving the feedback and the person receiving feedback.

A good place to start is with a clear structure to the feedback conversation.  In this short blog, we want to introduce you to favourite model, which Greenbank regularly uses in our workshops – the SBI-AA model.

We love this approach because it helps to ensure feedback is specific, actionable, and impactful. Unlike other models it also fits far better with the idea of encouraging a Growth Mindset because it not only focused on past events but goes on to suggest how the person can improve going forward.

Let’s break down the components of this model and explore how you can apply it in your feedback conversations.

The SBI-AA model stands for:

1. Situation: Describe the context where the behaviour occurred
2. Behaviour: Specify the observed behaviour without judgment
3. Impact: Explain the effect of that behaviour on others or the task
4. Alternative: Suggest an alternative behaviour or approach
5. Action: Agree actionable steps for improvement

Using the SBI-AA Model

 1. Situation

Start by setting the stage. Provide a clear and specific description of the situation where the behaviour took place. This helps the recipient understand the context and recall the incident.

Example: “During yesterday’s team meeting…”

 

2. Behaviour

Next, focus on the observed behaviour. Be objective and avoid using evaluative language. Describe what the person did, rather than making assumptions about their intentions.

Example: “I noticed that you interrupted several times while others were speaking…”

 

3. Impact

Explain the impact of the behaviour. This part is crucial as it helps the other person to understand the consequences of their actions and avoids them minimising the situation and dismissing your feedback.  

Example: “This made it difficult for others to share their ideas, the meeting took longer than expected and I sensed some frustration in the room when you interrupted”

Now – it would be easy to stop the conversation there – after all, the message has been very clear and its hard to ignore it!   However there are two downsides to this:

a) The person you have just given feedback to might be left feeling upset or dis-engaged – not a good starting point for them to doing something with the feedback

b) They might actually not know what they should do differently next time!

So lets move on now to the ‘AA’ elements of the model….

 

4. Alternative

Offer an alternative behaviour or approach. This demonstrates your desire to help the recipient improve and provides a clear path forward.

Example: “In future meetings, try to wait until others have finished speaking before sharing your thoughts.”

Rather than make the suggestion yourself, one alternative approach (and a good coaching technique) is to ask them to suggest an alternative approach – e.g. “If you had your time again, is there any other way you could handle this situation which would be more productive?”   This can be even more effective as it means that the new behaviour is more fully owned by the individual.

 

5. Action

Conclude with actionable steps. These should be specific and achievable, providing the other person with a clear direction for improvement.

Example: “Going forward, if you want to say something, you might find it helpful to jot down your thoughts during the discussion and share them when it’s your turn.”

Bringing It All Together

Here’s an example of how the feedback might look:

“During yesterday’s team meeting, I noticed that you interrupted several times while others were still speaking. This made it difficult for others to share their ideas, and the meeting took longer than expected. In future meetings, try and wait until others have finished speaking before sharing your thoughts. You might find it helpful to jot down your thoughts during the discussion and share them when it’s your turn”.

The SBI-AA model is a valuable tool for delivering effective feedback. By following its structured approach, you can ensure your feedback is clear, constructive, and actionable. After all, the goal of feedback is to foster growth and improvement, and with the SBI-AA model, you can achieve just that.