Don't Just Give Feedback, Make It Stick

Have you ever had to give feedback and watched the other person get defensive? It’s a common problem. We want to help, but our good intentions get lost in a clumsy delivery.

The STAR-Q model is a simple framework that can help. It shifts feedback from a personal judgment to a collaborative exploration.

Here's how it works:

S - Situation: Start with the specific context. "In yesterday's team meeting..."

T - Task: Describe the task at hand. "...you were presenting the quarterly results..."

A - Action: Detail the specific, observable action. "...and you moved through the slides very quickly."

R - Result: Explain the impact of the action. "The result was that the team seemed to have a hard time following and didn't ask any questions."

Q - Question: End with a question that invites their perspective. "What are your thoughts on this?"

This model keeps feedback focused on the situation, not the person. It turns a potentially difficult conversation into a productive one.

Simple, effective and may only need 30-60s to prepare in your head before you deliver it. Time well spent:)