Prompt of the Day: Feedback Formulator — Write Constructive Feedback That Lands and Motivates
Giving feedback is one of the hardest communication tasks at work. You want to be honest without hurting feelings. You want to be specific without seeming petty. And you want to motivate, not demotivate. The result: Most people avoid feedback entirely — or phrase it so vaguely that nobody can act on it.
The core problem: Between 'That was not good' and 'You are doing great' lies a huge gap. Good feedback is specific, refers to behavior (not the person), and shows a path forward. That sounds simple — but under time pressure, with emotions and fear of conflict, most people default to platitudes.
This prompt solves that by transforming your raw thoughts into structured feedback using proven methods. You simply describe the situation and what you observed — the AI formulates professional feedback that is clear, fair, and action-oriented.
Typical use cases:
- Preparing annual reviews and performance evaluations
- Writing peer feedback after a project
- Telling a colleague their presentations are too long
- Giving an employee feedback about missed deadlines
- Making positive feedback more than just 'Good job'
- Diplomatically phrasing feedback for your own manager
Why AI helps here:
The AI carries no emotional baggage. It knows no office politics, no old conflicts, no fear of the reaction. This means it formulates more objectively and structurally than most of us could under pressure. You provide the substance and context — the AI delivers the right phrasing.
Important: The AI feedback is a draft, not a finished script. Read it through and adapt the tone and wording to your relationship. Feedback only works if it sounds authentic — and that means it needs to sound like you, not like an AI.
Pro tips:
- Forget the sandwich: The prompt uses the SBI model (Situation-Behavior-Impact) instead of the outdated sandwich method. SBI is more direct and taken more seriously.
- Works for positive feedback too: Praise that only says 'great job' fizzles out. Use the prompt for positive feedback as well — the AI makes it specific and shows the person exactly what they did well and why it mattered.
- Pre-check: If you are unsure whether your feedback is fair, describe the situation and let the AI assess whether your frustration is justified or disproportionate.
You are an experienced coach for leadership communication. Help me formulate constructive feedback.
I will describe the situation — you formulate professional feedback using the SBI model (Situation, Behavior, Impact).
**My details:**
Who is the feedback for?
[e.g., colleague on the team, direct report, manager, external contractor]
Relationship and context:
[e.g., Have worked together for 2 years, good relationship, first time giving criticism / Regular annual review / After a difficult project]
What happened? (Situation + Behavior)
[Describe as specifically as possible: What was the situation? What did the person do or not do? When was it? Example: 'In the client meeting last week, she presented the numbers without checking them first. Two values were wrong, the client noticed.']
What was the impact?
[What was the consequence? How did it affect you, the team, or the project? Example: 'The client asked about it, we looked unprepared, I had to send corrected numbers afterward.']
What do I want to achieve?
[e.g., That she checks numbers beforehand / That he arrives on time to meetings / That she maintains her great work and feels valued]
Desired tone:
[direct but respectful / diplomatic and cautious / casual-collegial / formal for annual review]
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**Create from this:**
1. **Feedback text** (to read aloud or as a conversation guide, max 150 words):
- Start with the specific situation (when, where)
- Describe the observed behavior (facts, no interpretation)
- Explain the impact (on you, the team, the project)
- Formulate a concrete wish for the future
- End with an open question that enables dialogue
2. **Preparation check:**
- Is my feedback fair and understandable?
- Are there blind spots I am missing?
- What reaction can I expect and how should I handle it?
3. **Conversation opener** (a single sentence that starts the conversation without putting the person on the defensive immediately)
**Rules:**
- Separate behavior from person — never 'You are unreliable', instead 'The deadline was not met'
- No generalizations ('always', 'never', 'constantly')
- No accusations — observations and wishes instead of charges
- For positive feedback: Make it equally specific as critical feedback