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Eleven Rules for Giving Feedback

April 17, 2000

1. "Be behavior-oriented: Describe the behavior, do not evaluate the person.
2. Use examples: Be specific, with clear behavioral examples.
3. Helpful vs. venting: Feedback is an opportunity to support someone else, not to get something off your chest.
4. Be receiver-oriented: Pay attention to the receiver's capacity to take it in.  Wait rather than overload.
5. Be timely: Give feedback as soon after the event as possible.
6. Give feedback on items within receiver control: Comment about something within the control of the receiver.
7. Impact vs. motive: Describe impact of the receiver's actions; do not speculate on intention.
8. Check for clarity: Be clear.  Check to ensure your message is being heard the way you mean it.
9. Communicate feeling: Speak directly to the receiver, with real feeling.
10. Group sharing: Giver feedback that can be checked for accuracy and validity, if necessary, by others.
11. Ask the person 'May I coach you?' and use constructions like 'You could be more effective if... (Ray & Bronstein, 1995, p.208)."

Reference:  Ray, D. & Bronstein, H.F. (1995).  Teaming up: making the transition to a self
directed, team-based organization.  New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.

Do you follow the rules for giving feedback?

Teaming Up is available on loan from the OSU Leadership Center.  A complete listing of all the Leadership Center's resources is available on our website www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~leaders

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Created: 2009-01-02, Updated: 2009-01-12