Management
The SBI model
SBI (Situation, Behaviour, Impact) is a feedback model that describes when something happened, what the person did, and the effect it had, so feedback stays specific and doesn’t feel personal.
The 3 parts
S
Situation
When and where it happened.
“In Tuesday’s client call…”
B
Behaviour
What the person did: observable, not interpreted.
“…you answered the pricing question before the client finished.”
I
Impact
The effect it had, on you, the client or the team.
“…and they stopped sharing their constraints.”
When to use it
- Feedback in a 1:1, positive or corrective.
- Right after a meeting or call, while it’s fresh.
- When you need to raise something sensitive without sounding like a judgement.
An example
Vague
“You’re not a great listener with clients.”
A judgement. Hard to act on, easy to argue with.SBI
“In Tuesday’s client call, you answered the pricing question before they finished. They stopped sharing their constraints after that.”
Specific, observable, and the impact gives a reason to change.Common mistakes
- Interpreting instead of describing. “You were dismissive” is a judgement; describe what was said or done.
- Skipping the impact. Without it, feedback sounds like a rule rather than a reason.
- Saving it up. SBI works best close to the moment.
- Stopping after I. Follow with a question: “How did you see it?”