“May I give you some feedback?” This phrase causes most of us to stop cold in our tracks and brace for bad news. Yet feedback is a critical driver of personal and organizational growth because it’s one of the best ways to reinforce what’s working, modify what’s kind of working, and change what’s not working.
Generally speaking, there are two primary types of feedback: Reinforcing Feedback (aka “positive” feedback), which highlights effective behaviors and encourages continuation; and Redirecting Feedback (aka “negative feedback”), which focuses on improving or changing behavior. There are a dozen or more frameworks, such as SBI (Situation, Behavior, Impact) and STAR (Situation, Task, Action, and Result), that guide the structure of a feedback conversation. This assessment complements these frameworks to help you understand your unique style—how you prefer to give and receive feedback.
