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SBI feedback model: give feedback that lands

The SBI feedback model organizes feedback around three elements: the situation, the observable behavior, and its impact.

This helps you describe what actually happened without presenting interpretation as fact. The result is specific, actionable feedback focused on behavior rather than personality.

  • Observation, not judgment
  • Name the impact
  • Clarify the next step

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Also helps with:Performance review seasonA new manager

SBI in 3 steps

SBI organizes feedback into a situation, observable behavior, and impact. This keeps the message specific without judging intent or personality.

  1. Situation

    Name the moment and context.

  2. Behavior

    Describe what you saw or heard, without interpretation.

  3. Impact

    Name the concrete effect on people or work.

Optional fourth step: Intent (SBII)

The Center for Creative Leadership, which developed SBI, added a fourth step, Intent. This version is called SBII. After you name the impact, you ask what the other person was trying to achieve, because the gap between what someone meant and what their behavior caused is often the real topic.

Intent

Ask what the person wanted to achieve, and listen before you judge.

Add it to developmental feedback when the effect you saw may not be what the person meant. Without the question, you fill that gap with your own guess about their motives.

Developmental feedback with the fourth step
During Tuesday's project meeting, you interrupted Sarah twice before she could explain the risk. The risk was missed; delivery slipped by two days. What were you trying to achieve when you came in before she had finished?

Ask it as a real question. “Why did you do that?” sounds like an accusation; “What were you trying to achieve?” invites an answer. If the answer changes how you see the situation, say so.

When this method helps

Use SBI when you want to reinforce or change a specific behavior and can name its impact.

Key benefits

  • Separates observation from judgment
  • Shows why the behavior matters
  • Makes the desired next step specific

Limits and when to pause

SBI structures the message, not the whole conversation. It does not establish intent. Ask instead of assuming why the behavior occurred.

SBI feedback examples

The same three parts work in every direction. What changes is the goal: reinforce a behavior, change one, or raise something with your own manager. Each example shows the parts separately and then as one message you could open a conversation with.

Positive feedback

Make a helpful behavior repeatable.

Illustrative scenario

Situation
In Monday's team meeting, when Lena asked about the approval process,
Behavior
you walked her through it using the actual form on screen and then sent her the checklist.
Impact
On Wednesday, she submitted her first request on her own, and it went through without corrections.
As one message
In Monday's team meeting, when Lena asked about the approval process, you walked her through it using the actual form on screen and then sent her the checklist. On Wednesday, she submitted her first request on her own, and it went through without corrections. That's exactly how I'd like us to bring new people on board.

Developmental feedback

Change a behavior that got in the way.

Illustrative scenario

Situation
During Tuesday's project meeting,
Behavior
you interrupted Sarah twice before she could explain the risk.
Impact
The risk was missed; delivery slipped by two days.
As one message
During Tuesday's project meeting, you interrupted Sarah twice before she could explain the risk. The risk was missed; delivery slipped by two days. How did that meeting look from your side?

Feedback to your manager

Raise one situation without judging the person you report to.

Illustrative scenario

Situation
In Thursday's meeting with the department heads,
Behavior
you presented the project deadline as the end of March. The day before, we had agreed on mid-May.
Impact
Since then, two colleagues from other departments have asked me to confirm the end of March, and I don't know which date to give them.
As one message
Do you have ten minutes for feedback on Thursday's meeting with the department heads? In that meeting, you presented the project deadline as the end of March. The day before, we had agreed on mid-May. Since then, two colleagues from other departments have asked me to confirm the end of March, and I don't know which date to give them. Can we agree on the date I should communicate?

The message names the situation, behavior, and consequence. Character and intent stay out of it.

Judgment or description?

A judgment says what you think of the person. A description says what happened, so the other person can recognize the moment and respond to it.

  • Judgment“You were disrespectful to Sarah.”

    Description“In Tuesday's project meeting, you started talking twice while Sarah was still explaining the risk.”

  • Judgment“Great job with Lena.”

    Description“You showed Lena the approval process on the actual form and sent her the checklist.”

  • Judgment“You never back the team up.”

    Description“In the department heads meeting, you named the end of March. We had agreed on mid-May.”

The description can be checked against what both of you remember. A label like “disrespectful” is a conclusion about character or intent, and it is easy to reject.

Template: write your own SBI message

Copy the template and replace each bracket with your own situation.

During [specific situation], you [observable behavior]. This [impact I observed or experienced].

Check before you say it

  • Situation: Could the other person find the moment in their calendar?
  • Behavior: Could a camera have recorded it? Adjectives about the person mean you are judging.
  • Impact: Did you see or experience it yourself? If you are guessing, ask instead.

Questions Reflacto asks

The SBI model itself has three parts: situation, behavior and impact. Reflacto asks about each part with wording that fits the direction of your feedback, then adds one or two follow-up questions that are not part of the original model. That is why the number of questions differs between variants.

Positive feedback

Recognize a helpful behavior so it gets repeated.

  1. 1What specific situation do you want to highlight?SBI part
  2. 2What behavior did you observe?SBI part
  3. 3What positive impact did this behavior have?SBI part
  4. 4How can you ensure this behavior is reinforced?Added by Reflacto

Developmental feedback

Address a behavior that should change.

  1. 1What specific situation requires feedback?SBI part
  2. 2What behavior was problematic?SBI part
  3. 3What negative impact did it have on the team or outcomes?SBI part
  4. 4How can you phrase feedback constructively and solution-focused?Added by Reflacto
  5. 5How will you support the person in improving?Added by Reflacto

Feedback to your manager

Raise a specific behavior of your own manager.

  1. 1Which specific situation with your manager do you want to address?SBI part
  2. 2What did your manager say or do?SBI part
  3. 3What impact did you observe or experience yourself?SBI part
  4. 4What do you want to ask your manager for?Added by Reflacto
  5. 5When and how will you raise it?Added by Reflacto

After the last question, Reflacto shows a plan for the conversation with concrete next steps.

Questions about using SBI

Write the message

What is the difference between behavior and interpretation?

Behavior is what someone said or did. Interpretation is what you conclude from it, such as “You are unreliable.”

You could say
“We agreed you would send the test results by Thursday noon. They arrived on Monday.”

Quick test: if a camera could not have recorded it, it is an interpretation. More pairs of judgment and description

What if I am unsure about the impact?

Name only effects you saw or experienced yourself. Turn everything else into a question.

You could say
“I had to move my review to Monday. Did the delay affect your plan with QA?”

Don't invent a consequence to complete the model. One wrong claim makes the whole message easy to dismiss. Check your message against the template checklist

Have the conversation

When should I give the feedback?

Soon, while you both still remember the situation, but only when you are calm and have a suitable moment.

You could say
“Can we talk about this morning's meeting tomorrow?”

Praise can come right away. For developmental feedback, ask briefly now and talk in private later. If weeks have passed, you can still raise it; say why you are bringing it up now.

What if the person disputes my observation?

Ask how they remember it, and listen before you defend your version.

You could say
“That's how I remember Tuesday's meeting. How did you see it?”

Check that you described instead of interpreted, and add details: when, what was said, who was there. SBI makes your view specific, not true, and it cannot force agreement. If you still disagree, agree on how to handle similar situations.

Praise and your manager

Does SBI work for praise?

Yes. Name what helped and what it changed, so the person knows what to repeat.

You could say
“In the release review, you walked through the rollback plan before anyone asked. The product lead approved the release in the meeting.”

Positive feedback example, step by step

Can I use SBI with my manager?

Yes. SBI helps you stay specific and respectful, but it cannot guarantee a good reaction.

You could say
“Do you have ten minutes for feedback on Thursday's meeting?”

Use your one-on-one, speak from your own view, and end with one request. Start with one small topic; the reaction shows you how much more you can raise. Full example of feedback to your manager

Beyond the three parts

How is SBII different from SBI?

SBII adds a fourth step, Intent: you ask what the person was trying to achieve.

You could say
“What were you hoping to accomplish with that?”

Most people mean well. The gap between intent and impact is often the real topic, so hear the answer before you judge motives. The step comes from the Center for Creative Leadership, which developed SBI. Origin and sources

Does SBI include a request for what should happen next?

No. SBI has three parts. A request or agreement is a separate step that comes after them.

You could say
“If a deadline is at risk, can you tell me by Wednesday?”

Reflacto helps you prepare this step before the conversation. Depending on your feedback, it asks how you will reinforce the behavior, how you will support the person, or what you will ask your manager for. Questions for each type of feedback

Origin and Reflacto's adaptation

The Center for Creative Leadership developed SBI and holds Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI)™ as a trademark. CCL does not publish a specific founding year.

Also known as: Situation–Behavior–Impact, SBI feedback model

What Reflacto changed

From the original model
Situation, behavior and impact, with one question for each part. The wording fits the type of feedback.
Added by Reflacto
One or two follow-up questions, such as how you will support the person, and a plan for the conversation at the end.

See every question Reflacto asks

Primary sources and further reading

Editorially reviewed by Daniel Schmeiß

Last substantive review: September 29, 2026

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