Be specific

Download Print Version (PDF)  Guide: Effective Feedback

Talk about one concrete situation. Give enough information so the young person knows how to improve.

Be timely

Provide feedback quickly and regularly. Use performance reviews to note achievements (milestones), summarize, and set goals for next period. Don’t store feedback and give it all at once. Sometimes you need to wait for a situation to cool down before giving feedback.

Talk about behavior; no mind reading

Describe what you have observed with minimal interpretation and without telling the young person why they did what they did.

Praise when you can

Positive feedback is generally preferable to negative, but sometimes negative feedback is necessary and appropriate. Make sure the young person knows how to do better and wants to.

Leave communication lines open

The young person should be able to ask questions or say she or he doesn’t understand. The content of the feedback, the manner in which it is delivered, and the mentor’s invitations to respond are all important to maintaining communication. Feedback should involve two-way communication.