CEDAR Feedback Model

Following CEDAR will help your feedback conversations to be positive and motivating

Video examples are available for you to use in your training sessions (with accreditation please!)

C – Context

The first step is to set the context so that your team member can see how the feedback fits into their overall performance. Without perspective, information is a free-floating fragment, and it can be hard for people to understand its significance.  To anchor it within the bigger picture:

  • Introduce the area of feedback and explain how important it is.
  • Explain the level of impact; how big it is, who is affected and the outcome.
  • Explore their perspective and overall aims in this area.
  • Give recognition for achievements and effort. Encourage growth in development areas.

E – Examples

Describe specific examples to illustrate the situation clearly. In many cases, your team member will identify examples for themselves; it’s especially useful to encourage them to lead the conversation as much as possible when things have not gone to plan. In areas of achievement, however, it’s more powerful if you lead; emphasize behaviors that add particular value in areas of strength.

  • Use enough examples to illustrate the situation.  This may be a single substantial example or two or three smaller ones grouped together.
  • Explore what happened, their specific words and/or behaviors.  
  • Avoid overwhelming the individual. While it’s crucial to use enough examples to build the picture, more than four can feel like drinking from a fire hose.

D – Diagnosis

The next step is to help each person explore why they are where they are. Understanding what’s behind their performance is essential to learning, whether the feedback is about an area of strength or a gap. Insight can sometimes be buried in the subconscious, and the more you use a deliberate and reflective approach, the more it will help them to make connections and create valuable ‘aha’ moments.   In areas of strength, help them to recognize how their capabilities and activities add value.  With gaps, explore what’s behind any shortfall; this will usually be learning or motivation needs, but may sometimes be the result of outside distraction, a shortfall in capacity, or – in extreme cases – deep-rooted alienation.  Until the cause is clear, any action plan will only be guesswork.  To facilitate insight, ask open questions such as:

  • What led up to where you are now?  
  • What reasons might be behind this?  

​By the way, diagnosis can also help you; careful consideration of any background causes can also help you to see where other people may be affected by similar issues.

A – Action

Up to this point the conversation has built awareness; the next step is for your team member to apply that understanding and decide what actions will be important going forward. Unless they are inexperienced in their role, always encourage them to lead this step; your purpose is to facilitate, not to solve, and people are far more likely to implement actions that they have chosen for themselves. Encourage them to be as concrete as possible; the more they can visualize the difference between where they are now and where they are aiming, the easier it is to see how to achieve it.   Ask questions like:

  • What outcome are you aiming to achieve?
  • What actions will it take to get there?
  • What support might you need from others or me?

In some instances, however, the person might not know what to do, or you may need to be more directive. When this happens, add your suggestions, just don’t do this too early.  Your approval is a powerful motivator and people will stay silent if you offer your ideas too soon.

R – Review

Following up to support and embed any new behaviors is critical.  Lasting change only happens if those behaviors move from deliberate actions to unconscious habits, so provide positive and timely prompts to encourage people.

  • Ask your team member when you should check back in together. If you need to suggest an alternative date, explain why.
  • Provide opportunities for them to practice skills in their day-to-day work.
  • Give recognition for progress and troubleshoot any outstanding issues.  Emphasize where effort has led to results in order to encourage a growth mindset.