# What Feedback ‘is’ and ‘is not’?

> What feedback is and is not: helpful feedback targets behaviour, not the person, and is realistic, specific, timely and sensitive to the receiver's goals.

- Source: https://bodhih.com/what-feedback-is-and-is-not/
- Publisher: Bodhih Training (Bengaluru, India; since 2008)
- Last updated: 2026-10-15
- Contact: solutions@bodhih.com · +91 99000 11601

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What feedback is and is not: helpful feedback targets behaviour, not the person, and is realistic, specific, timely and sensitive to the receiver's goals.

Helpful feedback separates the person from the act or behaviour being evaluated and acknowledges the basic humanity of the person receiving it. Poor feedback targets the individual and serves the critic's needs, leaving people feeling attacked, insulted or invalidated. Effective feedback is realistic, specific, sensitive to the receiver's goals and given in a timely manner.

Last updated 15 Oct 2026 · Bodhih Insights team · reviewed by [Siddharthan VGJ](https://bodhih.com/siddharthan-vgj/), Founder

We all know what it feels like to be at the receiving feedback that is poorly give. We feel ‘attacked’ , ‘insulted’ and ‘invalidated’ as a person. Poor feedback is generally targeted at the individual and comes from the needs of the critic rather than those of the person receiving it. Helpful feedback makes a distinction between the person and the act or behavior that is being evaluated. No matter how distasteful the act, feedback can be effectively delivered only when the basic humanity of the individual is acknowledged. Feedback has to be realistic, specific, sensitive to the goals of the person and given in a timely manner.

## Quick answers

### What is the difference between helpful and poor feedback?

Poor feedback is aimed at the person and comes from the critic's own needs, so the receiver feels attacked or invalidated. Helpful feedback focuses on a specific act or behaviour, respects the person and is realistic, specific, timely and sensitive to the receiver's goals, which makes it far more likely to be used.