SBI is a straightforward framework for giving feedback that actually lands. It helps you deliver both positive and critical feedback in a way that’s clear, specific, and doesn’t make things weird.
The idea is simple: describe the Situation, call out the specific Behavior you observed, and explain the Impact it had. That’s it.
Situation
Start by setting the scene so they know exactly what moment you’re talking about. Keep it brief and specific.
Good examples:
- “In yesterday’s standup…”
- “During the client call this morning…”
- “When you submitted the design review last week…”
Not so good:
- “You always…” (not a specific situation, and it sounds accusatory)
- “I’ve noticed recently…” (too vague, they won’t know what you’re referring to)
The more specific you are, the easier it is for them to remember and understand your feedback.
Behavior
This is where you describe what you actually saw or heard. Stick to the observable facts. Don’t interpret, don’t guess their intentions, just state what happened.
Good examples:
- “You interrupted Sarah twice while she was presenting.”
- “You finished that feature two days ahead of schedule.”
- “You didn’t include the QA team in the planning discussion.”
Not so good:
- “You were disrespectful.” (that’s your interpretation, not the behavior)
- “You clearly didn’t care about the deadline.” (you can’t read minds)
- “Your attitude was bad.” (what does that even mean?)
Keep it factual. If you didn’t see it or hear it yourself, you probably shouldn’t be bringing it up.
Impact
Now explain why it matters. How did their behavior affect you, the team, the project, or the customer? This is what makes the feedback meaningful.
For critical feedback:
- “…which made it hard for Sarah to finish her point, and I think some important details got lost.”
- “…and now the team doesn’t have the context they need to write effective tests.”
For positive feedback:
- “…which gave the team extra time to polish the UI, and the client was really impressed.”
- “…and it helped me realize we could reuse that pattern in other places.”
The impact is what connects the behavior to real outcomes. Without it, feedback can feel arbitrary or nitpicky.
Putting It All Together
Critical feedback example: “In yesterday’s standup, you interrupted Sarah twice while she was giving her update. It cut her off before she could mention the blocker she was hitting, and we didn’t find out about it until later when it was already causing delays.”
Positive feedback example: “During the client call this morning, you took the time to walk them through that complex feature step-by-step. The client seemed way more confident about the product, and they specifically mentioned how clear you were in the follow-up email.”
Tips for Delivery
- Do it soon. Don’t wait weeks—feedback loses its punch when it’s not timely.
- Keep it private for critical stuff. Praise in public, criticize in private.
- Don’t sandwich it. Skip the “compliment sandwich” BS. If you have critical feedback, just give it straight. People can tell when you’re softening the blow and it feels condescending.
- Be ready to listen. They might have context you don’t have. Don’t get defensive if they explain their side.
- Follow up. If it’s critical feedback, check in later to see how things are going. If it’s positive, look for more opportunities to call out good work.
The whole point of SBI is to make feedback feel less scary and more useful. You’re not attacking someone’s character. You’re talking about specific things that happened and why they mattered. That’s something people can actually work with.
