Giving Good Feedback Published Oct. 20, 2009 By MSgt. John Deegan 775th Civil Engineering Squadron First Sergeant HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- You are all customers in some sense. In order to improve the service that you receive the person, or section helping you needs good feedback from its customers. Make your feedback have the impact it deserves by the manner and approach you use to deliver feedback. Your feedback can make a difference to people if you can avoid a defensive response. Effective feedback is specific, not general. It always focuses on a specific behavior, not on a person or their intentions. Feedback must also be well timed. Whether the feedback is positive or constructive provide the information as closely tied to the event as possible. Successful feedback describes actions or behavior that the individual can do something about. Whenever possible, feedback that is requested is more powerful. Ask permission to provide feedback. Say, "I'd like to give you some feedback about the presentation, is that okay with you?" The best feedback is sincere and honest to provide help. Trust me; people will know if they are receiving it for any other reason. Sometimes how you say it means more than what you are saying.