Delivering good feedback is both an art and a science. The way that you choose your words, how you pace your delivery in terms of emphasis and pauses... all contribute toward a conversation that feels natural and is part of your own conversational style. In conjunction with the principles and models that you're going to learn here, this section addresses the art of giving feedback. The content, however, is where the science part fits in. Like any good scientific endeavor, it is evidence-based.
Recall for a moment a time when you may have been given some feedback that was:
Inaccurate
Largely opinion-based
Contained hearsay
Did you take it on board and modify your own behavior? Opinions have their place, but in my opinion, only when you ask for the experience of the person giving it. Walk into any bar on a Saturday afternoon and you'll hear many opinions about how sport, politics, or religion should be run, usually by people unqualified to make the statements!
So, the next two principles are going to guide you through crafting evidence-based feedback.