Performance review prompts: specific, fair feedback with SBI
Copyable lines built on Situation-Behaviour-Impact — for feedback that lands clearly, plus prompts to listen and agree real next steps.
Performance review prompts are structured lines that help a manager give clear, fair feedback — most usefully built on the SBI model: describe the Situation, the specific Behaviour you observed, and its Impact, without judging the person. Good prompts keep feedback concrete rather than vague, separate observation from interpretation, and make space for the employee to respond. This library groups prompts by before, during, and after the review. ConversationPilot can prompt SBI structure live, track that you're listening as well as talking, and capture agreed actions automatically.
What these performance review prompts are for
Most performance feedback fails the same way: it's vague ("you need to be more proactive"), it judges the person rather than the behaviour, or it's so softened it never lands. These prompts fix that by building on the SBI model — Situation, Behaviour, Impact — which keeps feedback specific, observable, and fair.
The structure is simple and powerful. You describe the situation ("in Tuesday's client call"), the specific behaviour you actually saw or heard ("you interrupted the client twice before they finished"), and the impact it had ("they stopped sharing, and we missed two requirements"). No labels, no "you always," no armchair psychology. The prompts here cover delivering both praise and development feedback this way, plus the questions that turn a one-way verdict into a real two-way conversation about goals and growth.
- SBI lines for clear, specific development feedback
- SBI lines for praise that's concrete, not generic
- Listening prompts so the review is a dialogue, not a verdict
- Goal and next-step questions that drive real change
How to use them well
Stick to observed behaviour, not character. "You interrupted twice" is feedback; "you're disrespectful" is a judgement that invites defensiveness and goes nowhere. SBI works because impact is hard to argue with — you're describing what happened and its effect, not assigning a verdict on who someone is.
Make it a conversation, not a monologue. After each piece of feedback, stop and ask for their view; the best reviews are roughly balanced in talk time. Lead with genuine, specific strengths so development feedback lands in a relationship of trust rather than as an ambush. And always close on agreed, concrete next steps with the employee's input — feedback without an owned action plan rarely changes anything.
How ConversationPilot surfaces them live
In a review, the moment you most need structure is the moment emotions are highest — for both of you. ConversationPilot helps you stay specific and fair when that's hardest. It transcribes both sides as separate streams and can prompt SBI structure live: a nudge to add the specific behaviour when feedback drifts into a label, or to name the impact when you've described what happened but not why it mattered.
It watches your talk-to-listen ratio, because a review where the manager talks 80% of the time isn't a conversation, and it reminds you to make space for the employee's response. Afterwards it writes a structured summary — the feedback given, the employee's responses, and the agreed goals and next steps with owners — so the development plan is on the record and you can both follow through, rather than relying on two different memories of what was agreed.
How to give feedback with the SBI model
- 1Prepare each point as SBI
Write the specific Situation, the observed Behaviour, and its concrete Impact for every piece of feedback in advance.
- 2Lead with genuine strengths
Open with specific, real praise so development feedback lands in a relationship of trust, not as an ambush.
- 3Describe behaviour, not character
Say what you observed and its impact rather than labelling the person — impact is hard to argue with, labels invite defensiveness.
- 4Make it a dialogue
After each point, ask for the employee's view and aim for roughly balanced talk time rather than a monologue.
- 5Agree owned next steps
Close on concrete, observable goals the employee helped shape, with dates and the support you'll provide.
Before the call
For each point, write the SBI: the specific Situation, the observed Behaviour, and its concrete Impact.Check every item is observable behaviour, not a character label — replace any "you are" with "you did".Gather two or three genuine, specific strengths to lead with, each tied to a real situation.Decide the one or two development themes that matter most — don't bury the signal in ten small notes.Plan an open question to invite their view early: "How do you think the last quarter went?"During the call
Praise with SBI: "In the launch review (S), you'd anticipated every objection (B), which is why we got sign-off in one meeting (I)."Development with SBI: "On Tuesday's client call (S), you answered before the client finished twice (B), and they stopped sharing, so we missed two requirements (I)."Invite their view: "That's how it looked from my side — how did it feel from yours?"Separate behaviour from person: "This is about that specific moment, not about you as a colleague."Check understanding: "What's your read on why that happened, and what would you do differently?"Make it forward-looking: "What support from me would make the biggest difference next quarter?"When they get defensive: "I want to get this right together — help me understand your perspective."Agree the goal: "So we're aligned — the focus is [specific behaviour change], and success looks like [observable outcome]."After the call
Write up each piece of feedback in SBI form and record the employee's response to it fairly.Capture the agreed goals as observable outcomes with dates, not vague intentions.Note what support you committed to provide — and put a reminder in to actually deliver it."Recapping our conversation: strengths in [X], focus on [Y], goal is [Z] by [date], and I'll support with [what]. Aligned?"Flag anything that needs a follow-up conversation rather than being forced into this one.Diarise a mid-cycle check-in so feedback is continuous, not a once-a-year event.Frequently asked questions
What are performance review prompts?
They are structured lines that help a manager give clear, fair feedback, most usefully built on the SBI model — Situation, Behaviour, Impact. Good prompts keep feedback specific and observable rather than vague, separate the behaviour from the person, and make space for the employee to respond and shape the next steps.
What is the SBI feedback model?
SBI stands for Situation, Behaviour, Impact. You describe the specific situation, the observable behaviour you actually saw or heard, and the concrete impact it had — for example, "In Tuesday's call, you interrupted the client twice, and they stopped sharing requirements." It keeps feedback factual and fair rather than judgemental, so it lands and can be acted on.
How do I give critical feedback without it backfiring?
Describe behaviour and impact, not character. "You interrupted twice and the client went quiet" is hard to argue with; "you're rude" invites defensiveness. Lead with genuine strengths, make it a two-way conversation by asking for their view, and close on a concrete, agreed action rather than a verdict. The goal is change, not blame.
Should praise also use SBI?
Yes — and it's underused for praise. "Good job" is forgettable; "In the launch review, you'd anticipated every objection, which is why we got sign-off in one meeting" tells the person exactly what to repeat. Specific praise reinforces the behaviour you want more of and makes development feedback easier to hear in the same conversation.
How much should the manager talk in a review?
Less than most managers do. A review where you talk 80% of the time is a verdict, not a conversation. Aim for roughly balanced talk time: deliver each point, then stop and genuinely ask for the employee's perspective. The best development plans are ones the employee helped build, so they own them.
How does ConversationPilot help in a review?
It can prompt SBI structure live — nudging you to add the specific behaviour or name the impact when feedback drifts into a label — and tracks your talk-to-listen ratio so the review stays a dialogue. Afterwards it writes a summary of the feedback, responses, and agreed goals with owners, so the plan is on the record.
ConversationPilot helps you communicate more clearly — it supports preparation, recall, structure, and confidence. It is not for misrepresenting your experience, deceiving anyone, or recording conversations without the consent the law requires. You remain responsible for following the workplace, interview, and call-recording rules that apply to you.
Real-time AI guidance for high-stakes conversations
Get context-aware prompts during the call — better questions, objection handling, and recall, exactly when you need them.