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Author: Dragonfly Partners

Feedback Skills


Feedback defined:  Feedback is information about the impact of an individual’s past behavior that may influence that individual’s behavior in the future.

Feedback is helpful when:
  • The behavior or situation really matters (it is having a significant impact)
  • The behavior or situation is on-going (it is something that is continuing over time)

Preparing to GIVE Feedback


Clarify your goal. 
︎ There should be a work or project-related reason
︎ Your intention should be:
    • to empower the other person with honest information
    • to express appreciation, honor competence and reinforce behavior that you or the organization are looking for
    • to align expectations and priorities
    • to provide information about what is working less well, or what needs to be improved, that can be used to modify behavior and lead to a different outcome
    • to fill gaps in knowledge so that you can address problems together
︎ Your intention should NOT be to change them

Manage the externals.
︎ Who, what, when, how
︎ Be conscious of roles, relationships and power dynamics
︎ Where possible, let the other person control the externals
︎ Wherever possible, ask permission before giving feedback

Simple Rules for Giving Feedback


  1. Be specific and direct about the behavior you are providing feedback on.
  2. Tell the person the impact the behavior had on you (including how it made you feel).
  3. Use language that is free of blame or judgment.
  4. Indicate belief in the person in the person’s ability to fix the problem.

Acknowledging Feedback


Let the person giving the feedback know that you heard it.  That may be enough. 

Additional  possibilities:  Manage your emotional reaction; reflect back what you heard; ask curious questions to find out more; offer appreciation for the feedback; share the impact of the feedback on you; indicate that you need to take it in and will want to talk more at another time. 
Do not dispute or argue with feedback.