How to Give Constructive Feedback with AI

Constructive feedback is most useful when it is specific, grounded in an event and connected to a work impact or agreed next step. CCL’s SBI model offers one structure: Situation identifies when and where; Behavior describes what the person did in observable terms; Impact explains the effect. For example, replace “you are careless” with a dated instance of a report missing a required field and explain how that delayed review. The model is a communication aid, not a legal standard or substitute for workplace policy. An assistant can help turn rough notes into neutral language, generate questions or shorten a draft. Give it only information permitted by workplace rules. Ask it to separate observations from assumptions, retain uncertainty and flag missing context. Do not ask it to infer intent, diagnose a colleague, assign personality traits or invent incidents. Review every sentence against firsthand notes and relevant records; confirm dates, quotes and impact with people involved when appropriate. The conversation remains human. Choose a private setting, explain the purpose, invite the other person’s view and agree on a concrete next step. If the issue concerns discrimination, safety, formal performance action or a grievance, use the employer’s established HR process. AI-polished wording does not establish fairness or accuracy, and feedback should not be entered into an unapproved external service. Feedback should describe a behavior within the recipient’s ability to understand and respond to, not reduce a person to a trait. If a draft uses an absolute such as “always,” test it against specific examples. If the evidence is incomplete, present the concern as a question or seek more information instead of turning uncertainty into accusation. This protects the conversation from confident but unsupported wording.