How to make feedback actionable

Here is some practical tips on how to make feedback actionable. These tips will allow you to provide feedback that is effective and helps individuals take concrete steps towards improvement.

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Feedback the action or behaviour, never the person

When providing feedback, it is crucial to focus on the behavior or action that you observed, rather than making it personal. For example, instead of saying, "You are lazy," you can say, "You handed in your report late." By doing so, you can avoid putting people on the defensive and instead focus on the behavior that needs improvement.

Be specific about the behavior you observed, avoid generalisations

Generalized feedback like "you're careless with all of your work" can be demotivating and hard to act on. Instead, be specific and describe the exact behavior you observed. For example, "Your report from Monday had quite a lot of typos in it" is more specific and actionable.

Offer suggestions

After providing feedback, offer specific suggestions on how to improve. Share strategies or approaches that have worked for you or others in similar situations. This can help the person receiving feedback to take concrete steps towards improvement.

Focus on the message, not the format

Feedback doesn't have to be a lengthy or complex essay. In fact, bullet points or short snippets can be more effective in conveying the message. The goal is to provide clear and concise feedback that is easy to understand and act on.

For critical feedback use the structure of Feeling, Behavior, Impact

When providing critical feedback, it is helpful to use the Feeling, Behavior, Impact structure. This involves expressing your feelings, describing the behavior that needs improvement, and explaining the impact it has on others. For example, "I am frustrated and disappointed. The last two weeks your reports were full of typos and grammatical errors. Your colleagues might question your expertise."

Don’t forget to actually praise them for a job well done

Finally, it is essential to balance constructive feedback with praise for a job well done. By recognizing and acknowledging positive contributions, you can motivate people to continue to perform at their best.

Providing effective feedback can be a challenging task, but it’s your most effective tactic to create lasting improvements. By focusing on the behavior, being specific, offering suggestions, using a clear and concise format, using the Feeling, Behavior, Impact structure for critical feedback, and balancing constructive feedback with praise, you can help your peers improve their performance and achieve their goals.