SBI Feedback Model
SBI: Center for Creative Leadership.
Situation-Behavior-Impact coaching framework
A structured model for delivering specific, respectful, and actionable feedback. SBI helps coaches describe situations clearly, identify observed behaviors, and explain their impact on outcomes.
Purpose
Enable coaches to give feedback that is received well, understood clearly, and acted upon consistently by focusing on observable facts rather than judgments.
Training Enrichment
Core Insight
SBI feedback focuses on specific, observable facts and their impact, fostering understanding and reducing defensiveness.
Real-World Challenge
In a high-stakes sales meeting, the manager gives feedback to a team member who consistently interrupts clients during calls. The team member feels attacked and becomes defensive, which strains their relationship and disrupts team cohesion.
Actionable Guidance
- 1Start with the Situation: Clearly describe when and where the behavior was observed, e.g., 'During yesterday's call with XYZ Corp...'
- 2Identify the Behavior: Focus on what was observed, not assumed, e.g., '...you frequently interrupted the client...'
- 3Explain the Impact: Connect the behavior to its consequence, e.g., '...which caused the client to lose patience and cut the call short.'
- 4Use Neutral Language: Avoid judgmental terms and stick to factual descriptions to maintain a constructive tone.
- 5Encourage Self-Reflection: Ask, 'What could be done differently next time?' to engage them in problem-solving.
Coaching Prompts
- ?How can you ensure your feedback is based purely on observable facts rather than assumptions?
- ?What strategies can you use to remain neutral and non-judgmental when describing behaviors?
- ?How do you plan to connect specific behaviors to their impacts in a way that promotes understanding and action?
Application Drill(5 minutes)
Choose a recent team interaction and practice delivering feedback using the SBI model. Focus on one behavior and its impact.
Success Criteria:
- ✓Feedback is specific and linked to a single behavior.
- ✓The impact of the behavior is clearly articulated.
- ✓Language used is factual and non-judgmental.
Examples
- •Manager giving feedback on call performance
- •Coach addressing pipeline management
- •Leader reinforcing positive behaviors
Exercises
- 1Practice SBI on three recent team interactions
- 2Convert one 'You need to improve...' statement to SBI format
- 3Record yourself giving SBI feedback-listen for judgment vs. observation
Tags
Related Artifacts
Expected Outcomes
- ✓Specific, actionable feedback delivered
- ✓Reduced defensiveness in conversations
- ✓Clear connection between behavior and impact
- ✓Improved feedback acceptance and action
Content Structure
The SBI Framework
SBI stands for: • SITUATION – Describe the specific context or scenario • BEHAVIOR – Identify the observed action • IMPACT – Explain the effect it had on outcome, team, or deal Why SBI Works: • Removes judgment and emotional language • Focuses on observable facts • Connects actions to consequences • Creates clarity and ownership • Reduces defensiveness
SBI in Action: Examples
Example 1: Discovery Call Feedback SITUATION: 'On the discovery call with Acme last Thursday...' BEHAVIOR: '...you moved quickly from intro to demo without pain probing.' IMPACT: '...this caused us to miss the real problem-budget stagnation.' Example 2: Positive Reinforcement SITUATION: 'In yesterday's executive presentation...' BEHAVIOR: '...you tied every feature back to their strategic initiative.' IMPACT: '...the CFO said it was the clearest KPI association case they'd seen.' Example 3: Email Follow-up SITUATION: 'After the pricing objection on Tuesday's call...' BEHAVIOR: '...you sent a follow-up email but didn't address the concern.' IMPACT: '...the prospect went silent because they felt unheard.'
SBI Coaching Questions
After delivering SBI feedback, use these questions to unlock insight: OWNERSHIP QUESTIONS: • 'What were you trying to accomplish in that moment?' • 'How do you think the buyer perceived that?' • 'What would you try differently next time?' REFLECTION QUESTIONS: • 'What was one move that helped the deal progress?' • 'If you could redo one thing, what would it be?' • 'What did this situation teach you?' FORWARD ACTION: • 'What's the specific behavior you'll practice?' • 'How will you know it's working?' • 'What support do you need from me?'
Common SBI Mistakes to Avoid
DON'T DO THIS: ❌ Skip Situation: 'You're not probing enough' → Vague, no context, feels like attack ❌ Judge Instead of Observe: 'You seemed unprepared' → Opinion, not fact ❌ Vague Impact: 'It wasn't great' → No clarity on consequence ❌ Multiple Behaviors at Once: 'You rushed and didn't listen and forgot to ask for next steps' → Overwhelming, unfocused DO THIS INSTEAD: ✓ Be Specific: 'On Tuesday's call with Tech Corp, when you moved to pricing before understanding their timeline, we lost credibility as a strategic partner' ✓ One Behavior: Focus on ONE thing at a time ✓ Observable: Describe what you saw/heard, not what you assumed ✓ Clear Impact: Connect behavior to specific outcome
SBI Practice Template
Use this template to prepare SBI feedback: SITUATION (When and where): 'On [day] during [event/call]...' BEHAVIOR (What you observed): '...you [specific action]...' IMPACT (The result/consequence): '...which resulted in [outcome].' FOLLOW-UP QUESTION: 'What are your thoughts?' or 'What would you do differently?' EXAMPLE YOU CAN FILL OUT: Situation: _______________________________ Behavior: _______________________________ Impact: _________________________________ Question: _______________________________
Authors
Target Audience
Duration
10-minute feedback conversations
Difficulty
beginner
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