Here’s a brutal truth: most of us are terrible at giving feedback. According to Gallup, only 26% of employees say the feedback they get actually helps them do better work. (Ouch.)
But here's the good news: you don't need a PhD in organizational psychology to give great feedback. You just need a simple, reliable framework that keeps feedback focused and actionable. Meet the SBI model. 👋
What is the SBI feedback model?
The SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) feedback model is a straightforward framework developed by the Center for Creative Leadership to help managers deliver clear, actionable feedback. It guides you from point A (the specific situation) to point B (the actual impact) without getting lost in generalizations or empty praise.
Why should you use it?
The numbers don't lie. According to Breezy's latest hiring challenges survey:
- 33% of managers say they don't have enough time to provide proper support
- 65% rely on 1:1 meetings to support employees
- 21% struggle to deliver feedback that is both timely and meaningful
The SBI model solves these roadblocks by giving you a simple, repeatable process for delivering feedback to team members.
The SBI feedback model:
- Takes the guesswork out of writing feedback
- Keeps conversations focused and productive
- Helps employees understand what to keep doing or change
Situation-behavior-impact: 3 steps to better feedback using the SBI model
Let's break down the SBI model into bite-sized pieces. Here's exactly how to use each component for feedback conversations that get results.
1. Situation
First things first - set the scene. When giving feedback, you need to anchor it to a specific moment or event.
Think of it like timestamping your feedback. Instead of saying "you need to speak up more," you'd say "during yesterday's client presentation..." This gives your feedback context and makes it immediately relevant to the person receiving feedback.
Best practices for nailing the situation component:
- Be specific about when and where
- Stick to recent events while they're fresh
- Focus on one situation at a time
- Keep it objective and factual
No more "remember that one time you did... something?" People are 3.6X more fired up to crush their goals when they get feedback tied to real situations. 💪
Getting started is simple. Check out our guides on how to give feedback and ready-to-use employee check-in questions to get up and running quickly.
2. Behavior
Here's where you describe exactly what happened - the observable behaviors or actions you noticed. No interpretations, no assumptions. Just the facts.
The key word here is "observable." Instead of saying "you weren't prepared," describe the specific actions you noticed in the person’s behavior: "you skipped over several key data points and struggled to answer basic questions about the project timeline."
Why is this so important? Because:
- 80% of employees who receive specific, behavior-focused feedback report being fully engaged at work
- Only 45% of workers under 35 say they clearly understand what's expected of them
No more guessing games about what "be more proactive" actually means. With a structured approach for pointing out specific behaviors, you're giving team members crystal-clear direction for positive change.
💡Pro tip: When delivering negative feedback, focus on specific areas of improvement and watch out for behaviors that might amp up workplace stress.
3. Impact
Time for impact feedback. How did that person’s behavior actually affect the team, the project, or the business?
Whether you're giving a high-five or a heads-up about something that needs work, explaining the impact of the behavior helps team members connect the dots between what they do and why it matters.
Here’s what the numbers have to say:
- More than 2 in 3 employees say manager feedback is vital to improving their performance
- Positive feedback can more than double someone's willingness to contribute
- Real-time feedback on impact can lead to behavior changes of over 3%
When describing impact, try using "I" statements. And be specific about the ripple effects:
- "When you jumped in to help the new hire, it showed great leadership and helped them feel supported."
- "Missing those deadlines meant the whole team had to work late to catch up."
💡Pro tip: Level up your feedback game by mixing SBI with meaningful employee recognition ideas for a feedback system that works.
4. Put it all together
Let's see what happens when we combine all 3 pieces into one complete feedback statement:
- Situation: "During this morning's team meeting..."
- Behavior: "...you presented three solutions to our budget problem and involved everyone in the discussion..."
- Impact: "...which helped us make a better decision and got the whole team bought into the plan."
Put it all together and chef's kiss 🤌: "During this morning's team meeting, you presented three solutions to our budget problem and involved everyone in the discussion, which helped us make a better decision and got the whole team bought into the plan."
See how that flows? Each piece builds on the last one to create feedback that's specific, actionable, and crystal clear. No guessing games, no vague platitudes – just useful feedback that actually means something.
💡Pro tip: Make the most of your one-on-one meetings by weaving SBI into your broader performance management strategy. Want to take it further? Here are some killer employee goals to get you started.
When (and how) should you use the SBI feedback model?
The SBI model works for virtually any feedback scenario:
- Regular 1:1s
- Performance reviews
- Peer feedback
- On-the-spot recognition
- Performance improvement conversations
Traditional Feedback vs. SBI Model
Here's how SBI stacks up against traditional feedback approaches:
Better feedback starts here
Giving great feedback isn't rocket science. With the SBI model in your back pocket, you can stop stressing about those performance reviews and start having real conversations that move the needle.
Ready to shake things up? Take SBI for a spin in your next 1:1. You'll wonder how you ever managed without it. 😉
