Real-world examples of constructive feedback for communication skills

Strong examples of constructive feedback examples for communication skills in performance reviews

Let’s start with what you probably came for: concrete phrases you can copy, tweak, and use. These examples of constructive feedback examples for communication skills are written for performance reviews, 1:1s, and peer feedback.

Each one has three parts:

• What you observed
• Why it matters
• What “better” could look like

Example 1: Talks too much in meetings and dominates the conversation

Feedback you might give:
“In team meetings, I’ve noticed you tend to jump in quickly and speak for long stretches, especially during project updates. Your ideas are strong and you clearly prepare, which is great. At the same time, others sometimes struggle to get a word in, and we may be missing valuable perspectives. Going forward, I’d love to see you pause more often, ask others what they think, and leave space for quieter teammates. For example, after sharing your view, you could say, ‘I’ve talked a lot—what am I missing?’ or invite specific people to share their take.”

Why this works: It balances praise with a clear ask and gives a simple script the person can try next time.

Example 2: Doesn’t speak up or advocate for their ideas

Feedback you might give:
“I’ve noticed in cross‑functional meetings that you often have strong points when we talk 1:1, but you rarely share them in the larger group. The team loses out when your perspective isn’t heard, especially on customer impact. I’d like to see you bring at least one idea or question to each planning meeting. If it helps, you could jot your thoughts down beforehand or share your point early in the discussion so you’re not waiting for the ‘perfect’ moment.”

This is an example of constructive feedback that encourages growth without labeling someone as “quiet” or “shy” in a negative way.

Example 3: Written communication is confusing or incomplete

Feedback you might give:
“Some of your project update emails have been hard for stakeholders to follow. For example, last week’s update didn’t clearly state what changed, what was at risk, or what you needed from the leadership team. This can cause delays and extra back‑and‑forth. To make your updates easier to act on, try using a simple structure like: summary, what changed, risks, and specific asks. Bullet points and clear subject lines like ‘Action needed by Friday’ will also help people respond faster.”

Here, the feedback is specific, behavior‑focused, and offers a concrete structure to improve clarity.

Example 4: Poor listening and frequent interruptions

Feedback you might give:
“In recent sprint reviews, I’ve noticed you sometimes interrupt teammates before they finish explaining their work. For example, during Monday’s review, you cut in twice while Sam was walking through her testing plan. This can make others feel unheard and less willing to share openly. I’d like you to practice waiting until the other person finishes before responding, and maybe even summarizing what you heard—like, ‘So what I’m hearing is…’—before offering feedback.”

This is one of the best examples of feedback for communication skills because it addresses a common behavior that can quietly damage trust.

Example 5: Tone comes across as harsh or dismissive in chat/Slack

Feedback you might give:
“In our Slack conversations, some of your short responses can read as sharper than you might intend. For instance, replying with ‘No. That won’t work.’ in the #product channel last week shut down the discussion quickly. In text, people can’t hear your tone, so brief messages often feel harsher than they are. Next time, you might try softening the wording and explaining your reasoning, like: ‘I don’t think this will work because of X. What if we tried Y instead?’ That keeps the door open for collaboration.”

Remote and hybrid teams rely heavily on written tools, so examples of constructive feedback examples for communication skills in chat and email are especially relevant in 2024–2025.

Example 6: Overly detailed explanations that lose the audience

Feedback you might give:
“When you present technical updates, you clearly know the details, which is a strength. At the same time, you often go so deep into the implementation that non‑technical stakeholders lose the main point. For example, in last week’s leadership meeting, you spent most of your time on the architecture instead of the impact on customer experience. For executive audiences, focus first on the ‘so what’—the outcome, risk, or decision needed—then add technical detail only if they ask for it.”

This example of feedback helps someone tailor their communication to the audience, a key skill for career growth.

Example 7: Cross‑cultural communication and time‑zone awareness

Feedback you might give:
“As we’ve worked more with our colleagues in Europe and Asia, I’ve noticed that some messages and meeting times don’t fully account for time zones or cultural differences. For instance, scheduling short‑notice meetings late in your afternoon often lands in the middle of the night for them, and using idioms like ‘moving the goalposts’ can be confusing. To improve collaboration, I’d like you to check time‑zone overlaps before sending invites, and aim for simple, direct language in emails so it’s easier for non‑native English speakers to follow.”

This fits modern trends: global teams, async work, and the need for culturally aware communication.

Example 8: Not tailoring communication to different stakeholders

Feedback you might give:
“You often use the same level of detail whether you’re talking to engineers, sales, or executives. While consistency is good, each group cares about different things. For example, in the last sales enablement session, you focused heavily on implementation details instead of how the feature helps customers close deals. Going forward, try asking yourself, ‘What does this audience care about most?’ and adjust your message accordingly—engineers might need technical detail, while sales needs customer benefits and use cases.”

Again, this is one of the best examples of constructive feedback for communication skills because it teaches a repeatable mental habit.

How to turn these examples into your own communication feedback

Seeing examples of constructive feedback examples for communication skills is helpful, but you still need to make them sound like you. A simple formula you can use in almost any situation is:

• Describe the situation: When/where did this happen?
• Describe the behavior: What did they say or do—without judging intent?
• Describe the impact: How did it affect people, work, or outcomes?
• Suggest a next step: What could they try differently next time?

For instance, instead of saying, “You’re bad at communication,” you might say:

“In last Thursday’s client call (situation), you answered several of their questions with single‑word responses (behavior). The client seemed unsure whether we could meet their needs and asked to ‘think about it’ instead of moving forward (impact). Next time, try offering a bit more detail and checking for understanding, like ‘Does that answer your question, or would more detail help?’ (next step).”

This approach lines up with research on effective feedback from organizations like Harvard Business School and the Center for Creative Leadership, which emphasize being specific, behavior‑focused, and forward‑looking.

2024–2025 trends shaping communication feedback

The workplace has changed a lot, and the examples of constructive feedback examples for communication skills you give should reflect that reality.

Remote, hybrid, and async communication

With many teams still hybrid or remote, more communication happens in writing—email, Slack, Teams, project tools. That means:

• Tone is easier to misread.
• People are juggling more channels.
• Clarity and brevity matter even more.

Feedback today often needs to focus on:

• Using clear subject lines and summaries so people can scan quickly.
• Being explicit about deadlines and ownership instead of assuming.
• Choosing the right channel: chat for quick questions, email for decisions, docs for long‑term reference.

You might say:

“Your updates in Slack are informative, but they sometimes get lost in the stream. For decisions that affect multiple teams, let’s move those into an email or shared doc with a clear summary and due dates so people can find and act on them later.”

Psychological safety and feedback culture

Modern leadership research, including work by Amy Edmondson at Harvard.edu, highlights psychological safety: people need to feel safe speaking up, asking questions, and admitting mistakes. Communication feedback should support that, not shut it down.

That means:

• Avoid attacking personality; focus on observable behavior.
• Pair feedback with genuine belief in the person’s potential.
• Invite dialogue: “How does this land for you?” instead of delivering a verdict.

For example:

“I’m sharing this because I know you’re ready for more leadership visibility, and sharpening how you communicate with senior stakeholders will really help you get there.”

Phrases you can reuse in communication feedback

To keep your feedback clear and kind, it helps to have a few go‑to phrases. Here are some you can plug into your own examples of constructive feedback examples for communication skills:

• “I’ve noticed in the last few [meetings/emails/presentations] that…”
• “When you [specific behavior], it can come across as…”
• “The impact is that others may feel…”
• “To make your message clearer, you could try…”
• “One small change that would really help is…”
• “For this audience, it might be more effective to focus on…”

Notice how all of these keep the door open for improvement instead of shutting the person down.

Adapting feedback examples to different roles

The best examples of feedback are tied to real work. Here’s how you might tailor similar communication feedback for different roles.

For managers and leaders

“In all‑hands meetings, you share a lot of information, but sometimes it’s hard for the team to see what you need from them. For instance, last month’s strategy update explained the ‘why’ well, but didn’t clearly outline what would change for each team. Next time, try closing with three concrete takeaways and any decisions you’re asking people to make. That will help everyone walk away knowing what to do differently.”

For individual contributors

“Your technical documentation is very thorough, which is helpful for other engineers. For newer team members, though, the length can be intimidating. Consider starting each document with a short ‘Quick start’ section that summarizes what this is, who it’s for, and how to use it. Then people who need more detail can keep reading, and others can still get value quickly.”

For customer‑facing roles

“On recent customer calls, you’ve done a strong job explaining features, but sometimes you jump into solutions before fully understanding their problem. Try asking one or two more clarifying questions—like ‘Can you walk me through your current process?’—before proposing an answer. That will help customers feel heard and lead to better recommendations.”

All of these are real examples of how small communication shifts can significantly improve results.

FAQ: Communication skills feedback

What are good examples of constructive feedback for communication skills?

Good examples are specific, behavior‑based, and forward‑looking. For instance: “In yesterday’s meeting, you spoke over two colleagues while they were sharing updates. This made it hard for them to contribute. Next time, please wait until they’ve finished speaking, then share your thoughts.” That’s far more helpful than “You’re not a good listener.”

Can you give an example of positive feedback on communication skills?

Yes. Try something like: “Your summary at the end of today’s meeting was clear and concise. You highlighted decisions, owners, and deadlines, which made it easy for everyone to know next steps. That kind of communication really keeps the team aligned.” Positive examples of feedback are just as important as constructive ones.

How often should I give communication feedback?

According to guidance from organizations like OPM.gov, feedback works best when it’s timely and ongoing, not just once a year. Aim for short, specific comments within a day or two of the behavior, plus more formal notes during quarterly or annual reviews.

How can I make sure my feedback doesn’t feel like a personal attack?

Stick to observable behavior, describe impact, and suggest a path forward. Avoid labels like “unprofessional” or “bad communicator.” Instead, use phrasing such as, “When emails go out without clear action items, people aren’t sure what to do next. Adding bullet points with owners and due dates would help a lot.”

Use these examples of constructive feedback examples for communication skills as starting points, not scripts you must follow word for word. The goal is to sound like a thoughtful human who wants the other person to succeed. If you can describe what you saw, why it matters, and what “better” might look like, you’re already far ahead of most performance reviews.