Now that you understand why feedback triggers threat responses, let's learn how to give sales performance feedback that feels safe and constructive.
The secret? Structure. When performance discussions follow a clear, predictable pattern, your sales team can process feedback without going into defense mode.
Engagement Message
How could vague feedback like "You need to close more deals" trigger a threat response in your sales rep?
Meet the SBI model: Situation-Behavior-Impact. This three-part framework transforms messy, judgmental performance feedback into clear, actionable coaching conversations.
SBI helps you stick to facts instead of interpretations, making sales coaching feel less threatening and more developmental.
Engagement Message
Without peeking, what do the letters S, B, and I stand for?
Situation: When and where did this happen? Be specific about the sales context.
Instead of "You always struggle with prospects," try "In Tuesday's call with ABC Corp..." This grounds the feedback in a specific sales interaction rather than making it feel like a performance attack.
Engagement Message
Why might being specific about which prospect or call makes feedback feel less threatening?
Behavior: What exactly did you observe? Stick to facts you could hear on a recorded sales call.
Avoid interpretations like "You weren't consultative." Instead: "You presented features for 12 minutes without asking discovery questions." Observable sales behaviors can't be argued with.
Engagement Message
What's the difference between "You seem pushy" and "You asked for the close three times in two minutes"?
Impact: How did this behavior affect the deal, relationship, or pipeline? Be honest about sales consequences.
"When you skipped discovery, the prospect said 'this doesn't fit our needs' and ended the call early. We lost a qualified opportunity worth $50K."
