Conflict at Work: Scripts for Giving Tough Feedback

TL;DR: Use SBI + next-step requests: Situation, Behavior, Impact, then one clear expectation.

Tough feedback fails when it is vague, delayed, or emotional. Precision makes it fair.

  • Situation: when and where.
  • Behavior: observable action.
  • Impact: business or team consequence.
  • Request: clear change for next time.
Say what to do next, not only what went wrong.
Kindness without clarity is confusion.