Good feedback is feedback that helps a person learn, improve, or develop in some way. To achieve this, workplace feedback needs to be clear and specific, given at the right time, and focused on something the recipient can realistically act on.
What Is Good Feedback?
There are many characteristics of good feedback, which I list in the article. However, if you wanted to condense the meaning of good feedback into one paragraph, you could say that:
Good feedback is insightful, meaningful and relevant to the person you are giving it to. As a result, good feedback helps the person develop skills and knowledge and is a tool for self-development.
Why Is Good Feedback Important?
Good feedback in the workplace is important for several reasons, as it helps:
- Create an atmosphere of trust and collaboration
- Develop employees
- Improve communication
- Increase productivity
- Support employees’ well-being
- Improve employee engagement, motivation, and job satisfaction
For a broader look at the role of feedback across different workplace settings and its impact on team dynamics, see our guide on feedback in the workplace.
What Are the Characteristics of Good Feedback?
In this article, I highlight 18 characteristics of good feedback, which will hopefully help you support the people you interact with (whether you are a manager, mentor, teacher, colleague, or friend) in a meaningful way.
Having discussed what feedback is and why good feedback in the workplace is important, let’s now explore 18 characteristics of effective feedback.
1. Specific and Descriptive
In order to help people learn and develop, good feedback needs to be specific and describe the situation as clearly as possible.
This means that, when you give feedback, you need to address a specific behavior or situation, and it helps if you can give an example.
For instance, instead of saying to an employee, “Good job,” say exactly what they did that you thought was good.
For example, if they gave a great presentation, say, “I really like the way you structured your presentation and the arguments you gave.”
Try to give as many details as you possibly can. This characteristic of good feedback applies both to positive and constructive feedback.
You want your feedback to be focused, and being specific can help you do that. So, focus on the situation, the person you are giving feedback to, and what they can do to improve as they move forward.
If a person receives specific feedback, this will help them understand exactly what they did well and what they can improve on, and will give them clear directions for what to do in the future.
2. Timely
Timely feedback refers to the fact that you should give feedback on something as soon as possible after it happens.
This is important because it is more likely that the recipient will remember what happened and the reasons why they behaved in a certain way. If you wait too long to give feedback, the feedback will lose impact, and the recipient may have forgotten what happened.
This characteristic of good feedback is linked to the previous one, in the sense that timely feedback will make it easier for you to give specific feedback, as you are more likely to remember what happened and give more specific details about the event.
3. Constructive
When you give feedback that is not totally positive, try to make it constructive rather than just saying what was wrong with what the person did.
By constructive, I mean that you need to give the person some advice on what they could do to improve. For example, instead of just saying “Your presentation was not clear,” say something like “Your presentation could have been clearer. Did you consider using more bullet points to break down the information?”
If you give feedback in a constructive way, the recipient is less likely to go on the defensive because they will understand that you are on their side and you want to help them. So, they will be more likely to act on the feedback.
If you’re training others to develop this skill, these feedback activities for employees can be a practical way to reinforce the concepts in group settings.
4. Using Non-judgmental Language
Judgmental language uses words that imply that you are expressing an opinion on something that is either positive or negative. So, for example, words such as “good”, “bad”, “right,” or “wrong” imply a clear-cut judgment.
When you give feedback, try to avoid these types of words. Instead, try to show more understanding from the point of view of the recipient.
So, for example, instead of saying “The way you expressed your idea was wrong,” say something such as “I am not sure that the audience fully grasped your idea. If you had used more examples, they might have understood it better”.
So, by being non-judgmental, you encourage the other person to open up more, explain their thought process, and work with you, rather than feeling under attack.
5. Goal-Oriented
One of the characteristics of good feedback is that it has to focus on something the person can do in the future to improve (if you are giving constructive feedback) or something they do well so they can keep on doing it (if you are giving positive feedback).
So, try to link feedback to a goal (preferably a SMART goal). In fact, the HHS Performance Management Handbook highlights that aligning feedback with job expectations and performance objectives supports clarity, motivation, and measurable improvement.
This is particularly true if you are helping an employee with their Individual Development Plan (IDP), for example. As part of their IDP, they will have goals that should be aligned with the goals of the company. So, any feedback you give them should be relevant to those goals.
If you link feedback to a goal, i.e., something that they can practically do and achieve, this will also make feedback actionable.
6. Actionable
Actionable feedback is something that the recipient can realistically do something about. And the only way they can do something is if they understand what the issue is and they can put a plan in place to change things.
For example, if you say, “I could not understand a word of your presentation,” this is not actionable feedback, as it does not say anything about why you could not understand a word. Was it because the volume was too low, or was there interference with the microphone, or was the speaker’s accent too strong?
This is connected with the idea that feedback needs to be specific.
Also, for feedback to be actionable, the aim has to be realistic. For example, if you set an unrealistic deadline for your employee to complete a task, before saying to them that they were too slow, think about how realistic it would have been for them to meet the deadline without receiving extra support.
7. Ongoing and Recurring
Good and effective feedback, especially in the workplace, needs to be ongoing.
There is no point in giving feedback once in a while, as it will not be very effective in terms of helping other people develop.
While you don’t want to overwhelm people by giving too much feedback, you want to keep giving feedback consistently.
Creating feedback loops in the workplace can help reinforce continuous development and turn insights into measurable progress.
In particular, if they did something for which you gave constructive feedback, the next time they try, keep giving them feedback to point out improvements (and congratulate them on what they did well) and further ways in which they can improve.
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8. Compassionate
This characteristic of good feedback has to do with empathy and emotional intelligence.
Try to see things from the other person’s point of view and what they can and cannot do in their position. Also, think about how your feedback might come across and how it might make someone feel.
So, if your employee did not succeed on a project on the first attempt, wonder what obstacles they were facing. Did they have enough resources and support? Were the goals clear? Was the task communicated well to them? What kind of experience, training, and background did that person have?
Thinking of all these things can help you make your feedback more focused on their specific situation and give more relevant advice.
9. Polite
This characteristic is connected with the point above in that you must always remember to be polite.
Think about how you would feel if someone were rude to you, and then think about how you deliver feedback.
It is true that what is perceived as polite vs rude depends on many factors, such as the personality of the recipient and their cultural background. Some people or some cultures might perceive something that, for you, is completely acceptable as rude. So, consider these factors as you give feedback.
10. Inquisitive Rather Than Forceful
Making your feedback inquisitive rather than forceful can help you to make your feedback come across as more compassionate.
Forceful feedback is judgmental and is also pushed in a way that may not be welcomed by the recipient.
On the other hand, inquisitive feedback shows curiosity about their circumstances. When you are inquisitive, you ask questions and listen to the answer, with the intent of understanding what made a person act in the way they did.
For example, imagine somebody saying: “Your report was incomplete and missed key points. You need to be more accurate the next time”.
This type of feedback does not leave room for discussion, and it comes across as harsh.
One could say instead: “I noticed that some key points were missing from your report. Can you explain how you decided what to include? How can you ensure that you cover all points the next time?”
This type of feedback helps the recipient reflect. Instead of telling them what to do, you are helping them come up with the answers, which is likely to help them more in the future, as they will take ownership of the process.
11. Honest
Even if you want your feedback to be compassionate and polite, you still want to be honest with it. I understand that it is not always an easy balance to achieve, but at least try not to lie, as that will not be helpful.
For example, if you think that a task was poor, don’t say that everything was good. You still want to be diplomatic and follow all the rules of how to give good feedback, but make the effort to give constructive feedback.
Being dishonest will not help the recipient of the feedback or the people around them, who have to deal with the consequences of unsatisfactory work or actions.
12. Appropriate
Appropriate feedback is, first of all, relevant. You want to give feedback that the recipient can use, and that is relevant to the situation.
For example, if you are giving feedback on the clarity with which a report was written, you should not point out whether you like the font they used if that is not relevant (for instance, if the report is not meant to be printed or published in any way). If the language is all that matters, you should only focus on the language of the report.
In addition, appropriate feedback also encompasses some of the characteristics we have discussed so far, such as being actionable, constructive, and respectful.
13. Collaborative
By collaborative feedback, I mean feedback that is based on a conversation, rather than being one-way.
This is connected with the idea of inquisitive feedback. So, if you give feedback in such a way as to include questions to understand why the recipient acted in a certain way and to get them to think about what else they could do, you start a collaborative process between the two of you.
Based on their answers, you can ask more probing questions or give them advice and ideas that they might want to use. Collaborative feedback may even help you, as the person who gives feedback, learn more and get new ideas.
By using collaborative feedback, you show the recipient that you trust them and that you are willing to help them, rather than just judging them.
This approach aligns well with multi-source systems such as 360-degree feedback, where input from peers, subordinates, and supervisors creates a fuller picture of performance.
14. Insightful
This means that good feedback gives examples and precise ideas about what a person did.
Insightful feedback is specific. Giving insightful feedback is the best way to help the recipient learn and develop.
In addition, insightful feedback is detailed and focuses on both the positive aspects and the areas for improvement. It gives insights into areas of weakness, suggesting what the person could do better and the strengths on which they can build.
15. Conversational
Conversational feedback is exchanged through a natural two-way discussion rather than delivered as a one-sided evaluation.
In the workplace, this means giving employees and colleagues opportunities to respond, ask questions, and discuss possible next steps.
16. Proactive
This characteristic of good feedback applies more to the recipient than to the person who gives feedback.
So, proactive feedback means that you don’t wait for something to go wrong or for somebody else to give you feedback. Instead, you actively seek feedback.
If you are someone who is passionate about your personal development, you will want to seek feedback. Of course, this does not mean asking other people for feedback continuously and all the time (as it can become annoying), but do so when appropriate.
17. Balanced
Balanced feedback means that you want to include both constructive and positive feedback if possible.
So, when you give feedback, focus on both weaknesses and strengths. What did the person do well, and what can they improve on?
Giving balanced feedback does not mean using the so-called feedback sandwich technique. A feedback sandwich refers to the idea that you give positive reinforcement first, followed by negative feedback.
If the technique is used too often, employees may start to anticipate criticism whenever positive feedback is given, which can make the praise feel less sincere.
On the contrary, giving balanced feedback means trying to be objective and show that you are trying to help the other person. So, when you give positive feedback, give honest and sincere feedback that is specific and relevant (rather than trying to say something just to tick the positive box before giving the bad news).
18. Focused on Behavior, Not Personality
Last but not least, when you give feedback, don’t make it personal, and don’t criticize or praise someone’s personality, as this is not helpful.
So, if you say to someone, “You are terrible at timekeeping” or “You are great to work with”, you focus too much on their personal characteristics, rather than any behavior that they can do something about.
If, instead, you try to find out why someone is always late (so they can find a solution) or point out to them what they do that makes them great to work with (so that they can capitalize on their skills), you will be helpful.
Common Feedback Mistakes to Avoid
Not all feedback is helpful or well-received.
Common mistakes include giving vague or overly general feedback, focusing on personality instead of behavior, and delivering it too late to be useful. Some feedback can even harm morale if it’s overly critical or poorly timed.
If you want to see real examples of what not to do and how to improve them, check out our full guide on examples of bad feedback.
How to Train Others to Give Better Feedback
Having looked at the key characteristics of good feedback in the section above, you might also be interested in knowing how to start teaching or providing training on feedback in the workplace.
Deliver Better Feedback Training
Want to teach these 18 feedback principles in a training session? Save time and boost impact with our professionally designed Giving and Receiving Effective Feedback training materials — including slides, trainer notes, workbook, and ready-made activities.
Dr Valeria Lo Iacono, the joint co-founder of Symonds Research, has designed the teaching and training materials, which include the lesson plans, the PowerPoint slides (with teacher notes at the bottom of each slide), training activities, and all you need to run a workshop to help employees, including managers, gain better skills in providing feedback. You can view the materials below:
