An employee asks you how he's doing on a particular task. Or you happen to notice that a particular employee doesn't seem to be performing up to par. Or a vendor is seeking reaction to the quality of the business relationship he fosters. Whatever the scenario, you must offer reaction, or feedback, to people on a regular basis. The quality of your feedback – what you say and how you say it – plays a big role in your relationships and your business success.

Here are seven characteristics of great feedback. Keep these maneuvers in mind next time you must talk with an employee, family member, customer vendor or associate. They will help you deliver your message in the right way and with maximum effect:

• The Closed Door. Great feedback happens when you pay attention. When it comes time to offer feedback, close the door, either literally or symbolically. If you don't have a door, make a gesture that signifies you're giving undivided attention to the individual. How? By clearing the papers off your desk, straightening your tie, or moving your chair closer to the individual. Other possibilities: Offering to take the other person's coat and hanging it up ... offering coffee ... rearranging your furniture so that your guest is most comfortable. These actions all indicate that what you're about to do and say is important.
• The Quick Draw. Great feedback is immediate. If somebody asks for your reaction, give it! If you notice the feedback is important to someone, don't hesitate. Why? Prompt feedback helps establish a link in the other person's mind between her action and your response. And it signifies to the individual that you consider her important. Let's say you notice an employee wasting a lot of material at a machine. She appears to want help. "Hey, Jane," you might begin. "I've been watching the waste fall on the floor for the last few minutes." Jane's attention is immediately engaged, and she's much more open to your comments at that moment than she will be the next day.
• The Direct Hit. Great feedback is clear, precise and unambiguous. While most individuals don't have difficulty offering positive feedback, many people avoid giving what they perceive as negative feedback. Yet for a message to be clearly understood, it must be clearly delivered without any wavering, while still offering the individual the opportunity to participate in a brief discussion. Why? A sobering message comes across as serious. It forces the listener to consider the impact of his action. An example: "John, we decided not to purchase the fifty widgets because of the comments you made last month," you might explain. "But this morning you criticized Jane for not buying the widgets. I don't understand your actions, and that concerns me."
• The Chain Reaction. Great feedback sets up a systematic link between the listener's past action, some consequence, and your comments. In the case of positive feedback, the listener understands why and how his actions make an impact. In the case of negative feedback, he understands how he might be hurting the enterprise. Why go for the chain reaction? By linking behavior and consequences, you're giving power to the individual. You're helping her realize that her actions mold what happens around her each day. For example: "Lucy, the health inspectors were very pleased by that new cleanup routine you instituted in the cafeteria last month," you might suggest. "For the first time we had a problem-free inspection. That's all to your credit." Get it? Behavior and consequences are linked.
• The Ah-ha Experience. Great feedback is educational. The listener learns not only the consequences of his actions, but alternate ways of doing things in the future. The result: the listener becomes more knowledgeable and insightful about her behavior and activities each day. Why? By learning an alternative repertoire of behavior, she becomes a more effective member of the team. For example: "Jean, now I think you understand that there are four different ways to deal with this type of customer complaint in the future," you might suggest. "Now you should be better able to respond to these customers."
• The Mask. People who are inexperienced in the feedback department are tempted to let it all "hang out" when they offer reaction to other people: to be effusive in their praise when things are good and to yell when things are bad. But good feedback is usually best delivered in a cordial, professional tone. Why? Measured comments, without a lot of emotion, place the listener at ease and set the stage for effective coaching in the future. For example: "Jeremy, that was an excellent presentation you made last week. It got me thinking about two suggestions in particular that we should talk further about ..."
• The Charged Accelerator. Great feedback puts the listener in a positive, even enthusiastic frame of mind. After hearing the feedback, she leaves with a willingness to adapt, to be flexible, to do whatever she can to advance the best interests of others, or the enterprise. Why? The prime purpose of feedback is to motivate. And motivation is the key to future behavior change and success. For example: "John, this was a good discussion. I'm glad we had it. I believe our problems are behind us, and that you're going to do a great job next week."

Give the right feedback in the right way and you'll find it becoming one of the most powerful business tools you'll ever have at your disposal.