SBI Feedback Model (Situation-Behavior-Impact)

A three-step feedback delivery protocol developed by the Center for Creative Leadership. Step 1 — Situation: Anchor the feedback in a specific time and place ('In yesterday's client meeting...'). Step 2 — Behavior: Describe the observable action without interpretation ('...you interrupted the client three times during their presentation...'). Step 3 — Impact: State the concrete effect on you, the team, or the outcome ('...which made the client visibly withdraw and shortened the Q&A by fifteen minutes'). The protocol deliberately separates observation from evaluation. After delivering SBI, pause and invite the other person's perspective. For positive feedback, the same structure reinforces exactly what to repeat and why it matters.

When to use it

Anytime you need to deliver feedback — positive or corrective — in professional or personal settings. Performance reviews, real-time coaching moments, peer feedback, addressing repeated patterns, and reinforcing excellent work. Especially valuable when you notice yourself wanting to use labels ('lazy,' 'brilliant') instead of specifics.

How it can help

Eliminates the two most common feedback failures: vagueness ('You need to be more professional') and character judgment ('You're disrespectful'). By constraining feedback to observable behavior and concrete impact, it becomes nearly impossible to trigger the identity-level defensiveness that derails most feedback conversations. Takes less than five minutes to prepare. Works immediately — even your first attempt will be better than unstructured feedback.