Give feedforward as specific, actionable ideas — not generic encouragement

When giving feedforward, offer two concrete behavioral ideas, not praise or abstract advice.

Why it works

Encouragement activates positive affect but provides no behavioral guidance — "you’re doing great" contains no information about what specifically to do more of. Concrete behavioral feedforward gives the recipient something specific to try, which is the necessary condition for behavioral change. Abstract advice requires a second translation step that often never happens.

How to do it

1. Before giving feedforward, ask yourself: "What specific behavior could this person try that I think would help them?"
2. Frame suggestions as possibilities: "One idea you might consider..." rather than prescriptions.
3. Offer two ideas maximum per session — more creates decision paralysis.
4. Focus on behaviors the person actually controls, not personality or character.

Evidence

Specificity in goal-setting and feedback is one of the most replicated findings in behavioral science. Specific behavioral guidance outperforms abstract encouragement in producing behavior change across many domains. (observational)

This is the goal-specificity principle applied to feedback; specific feedforward as a named practice has not been independently trialed.

Sources

• Locke & Latham (2002), goal specificity and performance, American Psychologist

Common mistake

Giving feedforward that is really thinly veiled criticism — "in the future, you could try not interrupting people so much" — which carries the negative evaluation you were trying to avoid.