Three Levels Of Feedback

Level 1: No Feedback

• Ignores the individual and the action.

• No one learns. The employee, leader, and organization all lose.

• Message sent: “I don’t care about you or your work.”

Level 2: “What” Level Feedback

• Focuses on the action, ignores the individual.

• A managing moment rather than a teaching moment.

• Non-scalable. Fixed to a particular situation.

• Message sent: “I care about your work but not you.”

Level 3: “Why” Level Feedback

• Empowers the individual while addressing the action.

• Explaining the Why behind the What creates a learning moment.

• Scalable. Concepts can be applied to a wide variety of situations.

• Message sent: “I care about you and your work.”

More on feedback here: A Quick-Start Guide To Feedback.