Recognizing Good Behavior
How do you use SBI to praise a teammate who met a deadline early?
E.g.:
S: Last week’s project deadline,
B: You submitted your part two days early,
I: It helped the team deliver the result sooner / stay on track
How does SBI prevent feedback from sounding like criticism?
By focusing on facts (Situation), describing observable actions (Behavior), and explaining their effects (Impact), instead of making personal judgments
What is the first step in delivering SBI feedback?
Clearly define the specific Situation to provide context
What happens if you skip the 'Situation' in SBI?
The feedback may feel vague or out of context, making it harder for the receiver to understand
Act out SBI feedback for someone who consistently arrives late to meetings
S: In our last three meetings, B: You arrived 10 minutes late each time, I: This disrupted the agenda and caused delays
Give SBI feedback for a colleague who helped you solve a problem at work
S: In yesterday’s meeting,
B: You walked me through the new tool,
I: I was able to complete my task faster 😎
A colleague frequently turns in incomplete work. Use SBI to give feedback!
S: On the last two reports, B: Some key data was missing, I: This caused delays in our resource planning.
How do you ensure your SBI feedback is objective rather than personal?
Focus on observable behaviors, not assumptions or opinions
What is a common mistake when describing ‘Behavior’ in SBI feedback?
Using opinions or labels instead of specific, observable actions
A teammate interrupts others in meetings. Use SBI to address this situation!
S: In today’s discussion, B: You interrupted X while he/she was explaining his/her point, I: It made it difficult for him/her to share his/her full idea
A teammate stayed late to help with a last-minute task. Provide SBI feedback
S: Last night,
B: You stayed late to...
I: That ensured we...
You notice a teammate dominating discussions in meetings. Provide SBI feedback.
S: In today’s meeting, B: You spoke over others several times, I: Some team members couldn't share their ideas.
A teammate reacts defensively to feedback. What should you do after delivering SBI?
Give them time to process, encourage open dialogue, and check for misunderstandings
Why is it important to describe the 'Impact' clearly in SBI feedback?
It helps the recipient understand why their behavior matters and motivates change
Give SBI feedback to a coworker who failed to share important information with the team
S: Last week when you made additional changes to the code,
B: You didn’t mention it to the rest of the team,
I: This caused ... (failed builds, or test failures, etc.).
How would you recognize a team member who improved their communication skills using SBI?
S: Over the past month,
B: You have been actively listening and summarizing key points,
I: The team has fewer misunderstandings now
A team member submits work with frequent errors. Use SBI to provide constructive feedback
S: In your last three submissions, B: There were multiple code errors, I: This required extra time to finish work
Use SBI to address a situation where a colleague consistently misses deadlines.
S: Over the past ..., B: You have ... late, I: This has delayed our project timeline.
Rewrite this vague feedback using SBI: "You should communicate better with teammates"
S: In the last two weeks, B: You didn’t provide clear input on the projects, I: This led to confusion about project expectations & stagnation at work
Role-play giving SBI feedback to a manager who does not provide clear instructions
S: On our last two projects, B: You assigned tasks without specifying priorities, I: This led to confusion and duplicated work.
Write an SBI feedback response for a team member who successfully led a high-pressure project
S: During the... (project release),
B: You managed... (tasks efficiently and kept the team motivated),
I: It resulted in... (a smooth and successful release).
A colleague is resistant to feedback. How can you adjust your SBI approach to ensure they receive it well?
Situation is specific,
Behavior is neutral and fact-based,
Impact in terms of team or business goals
A peer gave you negative feedback using SBI. How do you respond professionally to show you value their input?
Acknowledge their perspective, reflect on the feedback, and ask for clarification if needed
A manager or a team leader gives feedback without specifying a clear situation. How would you reframe their feedback using SBI?
Ask clarifying questions to identify a specific example, then restate the feedback using SBI structure
Your colleague is unaware that their tone comes across as rude in posts/emails. Use SBI to help them understand and improve
S: In the last two posts/emails you sent to the team about project updates,
B: Your messages were very direct, without greetings or polite phrases, and some sentences sounded abrupt, such as “This needs to be done now” without any context.
I: Some team members felt the tone was harsh and misinterpreted it as frustration, which led to unnecessary tension.