To understand the different ways in which individuals can react to feedback
To highlight important guidelines for formulating feedback so that it is received in the way it is intended.
When receiving feedback there are a number of ways a recipient might react; some reactions are more desirable than others. For example, in the worst case, someone may simply reject the feedback they are being given. Another sub-optimal response is that the recipient becomes defensive instead of listening to the feedback and trying to understand it. At the very least, the objective should always be that the feedback is understood, and ideally acted upon. In order to increase the chances of landing on the top two steps of the feedback staircase, there are a number of simple guidelines we can follow when formulating our feedback message.