SBI Feedback Model Cheat Sheet
Situation-Behavior-Impact scripting cards that turn vague 'be more confident' feedback into specific, actionable coaching language.
What's inside
- The S-B-I model with a sentence stem for each step
- Rule for what counts as an observable Behavior vs. a judgment
- 4 before/after examples turning vague feedback into SBI form
- Scripting card: weak discovery questions
- Scripting card: no next step secured
- Scripting card: talking over the prospect
- Scripting card: rushing past an objection
- Word-for-word delivery opener to use live
Situation → Behavior → Impact. The fastest way to turn "be more confident" into feedback a rep can actually act on.
The model
| Step | What it is | Sentence stem |
|---|---|---|
| Situation | The specific moment — when and where this happened | "In the call with [account] on [date/moment in the call]..." |
| Behavior | The observable action — what they actually said or did, no interpretation | "...when you [specific, observable action]..." |
| Impact | What resulted — on the prospect, the deal, or the room | "...the result was [specific consequence]." |
The rule: Behavior must be something a video camera could capture. "You seemed unprepared" is not a behavior — it's a judgment. "You paused for 8 seconds before answering their pricing question and then said 'I'd have to check'" is a behavior.
Before / after: turning vague feedback into SBI
| Vague feedback | SBI version |
|---|---|
| "Be more confident on calls." | "In yesterday's call with Acme, when they pushed back on price, you said 'I guess we could maybe look at a discount' — the impact was they went quiet and didn't push further, which usually means they lost confidence in the number." |
| "You talk too much." | "In the discovery call with Beta Corp, you spoke for the first 6 minutes straight before asking a question — the impact was we didn't learn what their actual trigger was until minute 20, which cost us time to build a real business case." |
| "Good energy, needs more structure." | "On the call with Delta Inc, you opened with rapport and energy, but by minute 10 there was no agenda stated — the impact was the prospect drove the conversation, and we ended without a clear next step." |
| "Great call!" (make positive feedback specific too) | "When the prospect said 'we're not actively looking,' you didn't argue — you asked 'what would have to change for that to be worth revisiting,' and the impact was they opened up about a Q3 budget review we didn't know existed." |
Scripting cards for common coaching moments
Weak discovery questions "In the call with [account], when they mentioned [pain], you moved straight to your pitch instead of asking a follow-up — the impact was we pitched a solution without knowing if it was even their top priority."
No next step secured "At the end of the call with [account], you said 'I'll follow up,' but didn't propose a specific day or time — the impact was the deal has no forward motion and no urgency for them to respond."
Talking over the prospect / cutting them off "Around minute 14, [prospect] started answering your question and you jumped in with a follow-up before they finished — the impact was we lost the second half of what might have been their real objection."
Rushing past an objection "When they said 'we already have a tool for this,' you moved on within 5 seconds without asking what wasn't working about it — the impact was we don't actually know if this is a real blocker or a soft deflection."
How to deliver it (word for word opener)
"Can I share something specific I noticed on that call? [wait for yes] In the moment when [Situation], you [Behavior] — and what I noticed happen next was [Impact]. What was going through your mind there?"
Always end with a question, not a verdict. SBI describes what happened; it doesn't diagnose why. Let the rep explain the "why" — that's where real coaching starts.
How to use it
Before your next call review or coaching conversation, write your feedback out in the S / B / I columns first — if you can't fill in an observable Behavior, you're not ready to give the feedback yet.