The SBI feedback model is a simple way to give constructive feedback: describe the Situation, the specific Behaviour you saw, and the Impact it had. Add a clear request for what you’d like to happen next, and you have feedback that is specific, fair and hard to argue with, because it sticks to facts rather than judgements about someone’s character.
Most managers avoid difficult feedback or soften it so much that it doesn’t land. “Can you try to get in a bit earlier?” feels kind, but it gives the person no reason to change and no idea how much it matters. Kim Scott calls this “ruinous empathy”: being so keen to be nice that you never actually help someone improve. Over time the problem grows, the manager gets frustrated, and the eventual conversation is far harder than it needed to be.
This guide explains how the SBI feedback model works, gives you before-and-after scripts for four common situations, and covers the phrasing and mindset that make constructive feedback land.
Table of Contents
What is the SBI feedback model?
SBI stands for Situation, Behaviour, Impact. It was developed by the Center for Creative Leadership as a way to make feedback concrete. Each part has a job:
- Situation: when and where it happened, so the person knows exactly what you’re talking about. “In Tuesday’s client call…”
- Behaviour: what they actually did or said, as a camera would record it. Not “you were rude”, but “you cut the client off twice”.
- Impact: the effect it had on you, the team, the client or the business. This is the part that explains why it matters.
We’d add a fourth step: a request. Say what you’d like to see next time, or ask them how they think it could go differently. That turns feedback into a plan rather than a telling-off.
Why the SBI model works for constructive feedback
Constructive feedback goes wrong in three predictable ways. It’s vague (“you need to be more proactive”), it attacks character (“you’re careless”), or it hides the real point in so much padding that the person misses it. The SBI feedback model fixes all three.
Because it starts from a specific moment and observable behaviour, there’s little to dispute. Because it explains the impact, people understand why it matters, which is what motivates change. And because it avoids labels, people are less likely to get defensive. It works just as well for positive feedback, which is worth giving with the same precision: “In the pitch yesterday, the way you handled the pricing question kept the client in the room.”
How to give constructive feedback with SBI: 5 steps
- Check your motive. Before any conversation, ask yourself: am I trying to help this person improve, or am I venting? If it’s venting, wait.
- Do it soon and in private. Feedback is most useful within a day or two, while the details are fresh.
- Write down S, B and I. Thirty seconds of preparation stops you drifting into generalisations.
- Deliver it, then stop talking. Give the person space to respond. They may have context you don’t.
- Agree the request. End with what happens next and, where it helps, when you’ll check in.
Examples of constructive feedback: 4 SBI scripts
1. Lateness that affects the team
Before: “Can you try to get in a bit earlier?”
After: “On Monday and Wednesday this week (situation), you logged in at 9:20 rather than 9:00 (behaviour). That meant we missed our response time for two client tickets, and Sam and Priya had to delay their breaks to cover the phones (impact). Can we agree that you’ll be logged in by 9:00, and if something’s making that hard, let’s talk about it now? (request)”
2. A dismissive call with a client
Before: “You need to be nicer to clients.”
After: “On this morning’s call with the Harbour account (situation), you talked over the client when she raised the delivery issue and said ‘that’s not really our problem’ (behaviour). She emailed afterwards asking for a different contact, which puts a £60k account at risk (impact). Next time, could you let her finish and then walk her through what we can do? (request)”
3. Interrupting in meetings
Before: “You dominate meetings.”
After: “In today’s planning meeting (situation), you came in before Alex had finished on three occasions (behaviour). Alex didn’t contribute for the rest of the meeting, and I think we lost some useful ideas (impact). Could you try holding your point until people have finished, and maybe bring Alex in directly next time? (request)”
4. A missed handover
Before: “Your handovers aren’t good enough.”
After: “When you went on leave last Friday (situation), the handover note didn’t mention the contract changes for the Delta project (behaviour). Jo sent the client the old terms and we had to apologise and resend (impact). For your next handover, can you use the template and run through it with whoever’s covering? (request)”
Phrasing that makes SBI feedback land
Small changes in wording make a big difference to how feedback is received.
- Say “I” about the impact on you. “You did X and that made me feel Y” works. “You made me feel Y” sounds like an accusation, so avoid it.
- Describe, don’t diagnose. “You didn’t reply to the client for two days” is a fact. “You don’t care about clients” is a judgement they’ll fight.
- Drop “but”. “Great work on the report, but…” cancels the praise. Give positive and constructive feedback separately.
- Ask, then listen. “How did that call feel from your side?” often surfaces the real cause.
If feedback comes the other way and stings, our guide to dealing with negative feedback from employees covers how to respond well.
Making feedback a habit, not an event
The SBI feedback model works best when feedback is normal and frequent, so no single conversation feels like a big deal. Many teams pair it with a forward-looking approach, asking what to do differently next time rather than dwelling on the past. Our post on feedback and feedforward explains how to combine them.
It also helps to give people a safe way to give feedback upwards. Short, anonymous check-ins show managers how their own feedback style is landing, and Wotter is one example of a tool that does this.
Frequently asked questions
What does SBI stand for in feedback?
Situation, Behaviour, Impact. You describe when and where something happened, what the person did, and the effect it had. Many managers add a fourth step: a clear request for next time.
Who created the SBI feedback model?
The Center for Creative Leadership developed the SBI model as a practical way for managers to give specific, fair feedback.
Can you use the SBI model for positive feedback?
Yes. It is just as useful for praise, because specific positive feedback tells people exactly what to keep doing.
What are good examples of constructive feedback?
Good constructive feedback names a specific moment, describes the behaviour without judging the person, explains the impact and ends with a clear request, such as the four SBI scripts in this guide.
What other feedback models are there?
Common alternatives include the CLEAR and GROW coaching models, feedforward (focusing on what to do next time) and the “radical candour” framework of caring personally while challenging directly.
Specific beats soft
The kindest feedback is the kind people can act on. The SBI feedback model gives managers a short, repeatable way to give constructive feedback that’s specific, fair and focused on the future, and it takes less than a minute to prepare.
For more on giving honest feedback, listen to Episode 19 of Strategic HR Weekly, on radical candour.
