How To Give Quality Feedback [Template: Example Sentences]

What are the steps to provide quality feedback with ‘tips and tops’? How do you best give feedback? Giving feedback on someone’s performance can be very simple with the tools and example sentences of this effective feedback model (including sandwich feedback model). Read along…

Here you will receive a model with practical example sentences to provide feedback

In this article you will learn exactly how to give feedback. Below you will find the perfect practical ‘template’ to give pure feedback on the basis of tips, tops, good feedback rules and objective observation.

I myself have been lucky that this feedback method has been in my ears for a year and a half by Peter Dalmeijer and his trainers. Also take a look at his book for his official work.

You can use the template and technique below, for example, to provide feedback to your colleague, students, project group or practice partner. Both in writing and ‘face to face’. Follow the following steps that serve as sentences and questions to provide good feedback …

Step 1 – Before you start with the tips and tops: state the intention to create a positive frame for your feedback

For many situations, it is nice to start with the intention, and that certainly also applies to giving feedback. Before you start with the substantive feedback, create the following framework: ‘I want you to be the best, I want you to be promoted! With this you and the feedback receiver will start with a positive and good feeling.

I want you to be the best.

I wish you very much …

I wish you …

Step 2 – First a ‘top’ or compliment

Use the steps below to highlight a point that already went very well: a top.

1. Name concrete observable, actual behavior: ‘I see / hear / observe / perceive that …’
2. Ask about the intention of that behavior: “What was your intention with that?”
3. Now share your own feelings as a result of the behavior you observed: ‘It made me feel … / The reaction it generated in me was … / I think … / I am afraid … / That calls out to me the following on … / I experience … / In my experience I feel … / That had the following effect on me … ‘
   You keep it completely within yourself. In addition, you have specified all the concrete observable behavior on which this is based / based.
4. Recognition: check whether the other person agrees.

Step 3 – Then a ‘tip’, or ‘possibility for growth’

What could be better? Use the steps below to highlight a point that could be improved: a tip.

1. Name concrete observable, actual behavior: ‘I see / hear / observe / perceive that …’
2. Ask about the intention of that behavior: “What was your intention with that?”
3. Now share your own feelings as a result of the behavior you observed: ‘It made me feel … / The reaction it generated in me was … / I think … / I am afraid … / That calls out to me the following on … / I experience … / In my experience I feel … / That had the following effect on me … ‘
   You keep it completely within yourself. In addition, you have specified all the concrete observable behavior on which this is based / based.
4. Recognition: check whether the other person agrees.
5. Share your need: ‘It is important to me that …’
6. Solution: what do you specifically recommend to improve this next time? How can it be better? ‘What could be improved …’ / ‘Are you willing to …’ / ‘I want to ask you for …’ / ‘My suggestion is to …’ / ‘My tip is …’ / ‘My tip is … ‘/’ Your ability to grow is … ‘

Step 4 – End the feedback with a ‘top’ or compliment

Repeat step 2. So again give a top based  on the template in step 2. Then go to step 5.

Step 5 – Summarizing your feedback

Say, “Next time, you can do {the goal} even better if you keep doing {tops} while making {suggestions}.” It is important that you use ‘even better’, instead of ‘You are doing badly otherwise.’ You could also say, “Otherwise you are not doing as well as you would like.”

Step 6 – Make appointments

What will be changed from now on? What is the solution? Have the feedback receiver formulate a goal for the following situation.

Tips for giving feedback

Tip 1: Give feedback on a behavioral level

Always give feedback at the logical level of behavior. In this way you separate the person from the behavior. You do not give feedback on an identity level, but on a behavioral level. You are soft on the person and hard on the subject. This has been incorporated in the above model. You don’t say, “You are …” But you say, “You do …”

Not:

• Such an annoying child you are. Behave yourself!
• I am a smoker. I want to quit smoking.

Well:

• You are a beautiful child. What you are doing now is a bit clumsy. Improve your behavior x. I tend to disagree.
• I am a healthy person. I am improving my smoking behavior.

Tip 2: Work with observations, not interpretations

Do you want to give feedback in a positive way? Then always put your observations first. You give your feedback on concrete, actually observed behavior, without making direct interpretations.

Observation:

I see that you are looking at the floor, that the color of your face is turning red and your hands are shaking.

Interpretation:

You act nervous. It is clear that you are restless.

Tip 3: You may also say things that are not observations, but only do so from the I-message

Nonviolent communication means you get the me message. Feedback is a subjective description: it is about the behavior that you observe, what your perception is and what the reaction is that is triggered in you. You can also use these sentences for the I-message: ‘I fill in but it doesn’t have to be that way…’ ‘In my experience…’

You message: You are talking too fast
Me message: I find it difficult to concentrate if I hear you speak quickly.

You message: You will not speak up about how things are going.
Me message: I am happy to be informed of your progress.

You-message: You are always distracted and keep talking about different designs.
Me message: It’s difficult for me to talk about so many things at once.

Feedback always starts with ‘I’, both for the observations and for the non-observations: ‘I see / hear / observe / perceive that / The effect on me is …’

Tip 4: Use the tactful trick that is also used with thieves

When shop owners are robbed, they distribute camera images of the perpetrator, with the message: this way had been forgotten to pay. this is a tactful way to provide feedback.

Another example, when the cashier sees that a customer has put the expensive apples in a bag while weighing them as cheap apples, she says that the customer accidentally chose the revered type of apples. So: bring it as if the other person is doing the negative behavior unconsciously.

Tip 5: use the 6-step plan at the top of this article

If you use the step-by-step plan of this article, you’ll be fine! Everything is already in there, including sandwich feedback. As you can see in the steps, only one point for improvement is addressed. This is the essence of the sandwich: you look at the difference that will make the difference, and only that you give back to the other as an improvement point. Before and after that point for improvement you give compliments.

Do you receive feedback, and does the feedback giver only provide interpretations?

Have you received feedback that is not quite like this model? Then ask the feedback provider for information about concrete observable behavior: “What have you seen / heard that gives you that impression?”

It may happen that the person who gives feedback to you is giving interpretations without substantiation with information of concrete observable behavior. At that point, you can still ask metamodel questions : ‘What have you seen / heard that gives you that impression? What is your interpretation based on? ‘

Does anyone provide concrete feedback? Then there are two options: if you can think the other person is right, say thank you. If you can’t think the other person is right, say thank you too.

This was the handy feedback model (tips and tops) with example sentences

Use the tips, example sentences, and steps from this article and you’ll get it right! Do keep using tips and tops. Giving feedback is something you constantly train in an NLP (Practitioner) Course . How do you usually give feedback? Let me know in the comments.