Say Goodbye to Awkward Feedback: Be a Master with 3 Badass Frameworks

As a leader, I have learned that giving feedback, especially unsolicited feedback, is a delicate art that requires tact, empathy, and strategic thinking.

I understand that when leaders provide feedback, they often do so with the intention of helping the recipient grow and improve.

However, the reality is that the act of receiving feedback can be emotionally challenging, regardless of the sender's motives. Feedback can challenge a person's self-esteem and cause feelings of defensiveness, leading to a breakdown in communication.

This is why I try to approach giving feedback with caution and care, knowing that I need to balance my desire to help with the recipient's emotional well-being.

In this post, I want to share three badass frameworks (and one that's just bad) on this challenging, yet critical, aspect of leadership.

Let’s start with the bad.

The Sh*t Sandwich

The sandwich approach to feedback, also known as the "feedback sandwich," is a popular method of delivering feedback because it is perceived as being more gentle and easier to receive.

The basic structure of the sandwich involves starting with a positive comment, delivering the constructive feedback, and then ending with another positive comment. The idea behind the sandwich is to cushion the blow of the constructive feedback by sandwiching it between two positive comments.

However, research suggests that this approach may not be as effective as intended. A study by Harvard Business Review found that the sandwich approach can actually dilute the impact of the constructive feedback and make it harder for the recipient to fully understand and internalize the message. In addition, some recipients may view the positive comments as insincere or as a way to soften the blow, reducing their trust in the feedback giver.

Instead of the sh*t sandwich, try one of these three next-level feedback frameworks: Magical Feedback, Radical Candor, and the SBI Method. Customize these frameworks to fit your own communication style and deliver your message effectively.

1. Magical Feedback

"Magical Feedback" is a term coined by psychologists from Stanford, Yale, and Columbia. In their research, they assigned middle-school students an essay-writing task and gave them different types of teacher feedback. To their surprise, they found that one particular type of feedback had a significant impact on the students' effort and performance.

What was this "magical" feedback?

Simply, it was just one phrase - "I'm giving you these comments because I have very high expectations and I know that you can reach them."

This phrase, consisting of just 19 words, was powerful not just because it was feedback, but because it conveyed a sense of belonging and connection. It sent the message that the student was part of a special group with higher standards, and that the teacher believed they could reach those standards.

The concept of "magical feedback" can also be applied in the workplace. When providing feedback to an employee, it's important to communicate that they are valued and a valuable part of the team.

By expressing high expectations and belief in their abilities, you can create a sense of belonging and motivation for the employee to reach those expectations. This can have a positive impact on their work and performance.

It's crucial to approach feedback in a constructive manner and not simply criticize. By framing feedback in a way that emphasizes the employee's potential and value, you can foster a supportive work environment and help to boost employee morale and performance.

It's worth noting that every employee is different and may respond differently to feedback. However, the underlying principle of the "magical feedback" approach is to communicate high expectations and a belief in the employee's abilities. When implemented thoughtfully and tailored to the individual, this approach can lead to improved work and performance.

2. Radical Candor

Radical Candor is a feedback framework developed by Kim Scott, who honed the approach while working at companies like Google and Apple. According to Scott, Radical Candor is "a way to be both kind and clear in giving feedback".

It involves being both personally and professionally challenging while maintaining respect and care for the individual receiving the feedback. The goal is to strike a balance between "Caring Personally" and "Challenging Directly".

The model can be distilled into the following:

C — Context (Cite the specific situation.)

O — Observation (Describe what was said or done.)

R — Result (What is the most meaningful consequence to you and to them?)

E — nExt stEps (What are the expected next steps?)

[Scott has generously made available a detailed guide here]

There are a few pitfalls to guard against when using Radical Candor as a feedback framework. Firstly, it is important to maintain a balance between caring personally and challenging directly. If a feedback giver is too aggressive or not empathetic enough, it could harm the relationship with the receiver. Secondly, Radical Candor requires vulnerability and self-awareness on both the giver and receiver's part. Finally, it is important to avoid using Radical Candor as a one-size-fits-all approach. Different people may require different styles of feedback and it's important to adapt to individual preferences.

3. The SBI Method

The SBI Method (Situation, Behavior, Impact) is a framework for delivering feedback that was developed by The Center for Creative Leadership. It focuses on three key elements in feedback - the situation, the specific behavior that was observed, and the impact that behavior had on the giver of the feedback or on the situation as a whole.

The SBI Method emphasizes the importance of being specific and avoiding judgmental language when giving feedback. Instead of saying "you did a bad job," the SBI Method would have the feedback giver describe the situation, the behavior they observed, and the impact it had.

For example, in a fictional scenario where a peer in an Operations department dropped the ball on a delivery, the feedback could be delivered using the SBI Method as follows:

"In the situation where we had to deliver [product] to [customer], I noticed that you were responsible for coordinating the transportation. However, the delivery was delayed and we received complaints from the customer. The impact of this delay was that it damaged our relationship with the customer and created additional work for the rest of the team to resolve the issue."

It is important to guard against a downside of using the SBI Method as a way to blame or attack the person receiving the feedback. The focus should always be on the behavior and the impact, not a personal attack.

Additionally, it's important to keep in mind that the SBI Method is not a magic solution for all feedback scenarios and may not be appropriate for every situation. It's important to adapt the approach as needed and to use good judgment when delivering feedback.

Wrapping it up

Alright folks, we've covered a lot today! We talked about the sandwich approach, Magical Feedback, Radical Candor, and the SBI Method.

It's clear that giving feedback is a delicate art, but using these frameworks can help guide you in the right direction.

So, which one resonates with you the most? Have you tried any of these before? I'd love to hear from you! Drop a comment below with the feedback framework that has worked best for you and your team.

Let's help each other out and make feedback a little less scary and a lot more impactful!