Don't save coaching for the annual review, address it in the moment. Use this template right after a task, presentation, or meeting while details are fresh. The Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) structure keeps feedback specific, observable, and non-judgmental, and it ends with a clear agreed next step so the conversation turns into growth.
Conversation Details
Date: [MM / DD / YYYY] · Employee name: [Full name]
The SBI Breakdown
Situation — when and where did this happen?
[e.g., During Tuesday's client standup…]
Behavior — what did you directly observe? (facts only)
[e.g., You interrupted the client twice before they finished…]
Impact — what effect did it have?
[e.g., The client stopped sharing concerns and the meeting ran 15 minutes over…]
Forward-Looking Agreement
Desired behavior — what should happen next time?
[e.g., Let the client finish, then summarize before responding…]
Agreed next step
[One concrete action the employee will take]
Follow-up
Follow-up date: [MM / DD / YYYY] · Manager signature: ____________________
Deliver within 24 hours of the event. Start with the situation, stick to observable behavior, and ask "What's your take?" before sharing the impact.
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