AI Prompt for Writing Difficult Feedback
Write feedback that's direct, specific, and kind — for performance issues, project concerns, or behavioral conversations.
What it does
Helps you write feedback messages — emails, Slack messages, or speaking notes — for situations where you need to be direct about a problem without damaging the relationship. Covers performance concerns, missed expectations, behavioral issues, and project problems. The output is specific, uses concrete examples, and avoids both corporate softening and unnecessary harshness.
Example output
A 3–4 line excerpt of what this prompt produces.
Hi Alex,
I want to flag something from the Meridian project that I think we need to address directly. The client received the deliverable three days past the agreed date, and this is the second time this quarter. I'm not questioning your commitment — I've seen the effort you put into quality. But the pattern is creating a trust problem with the client that I can't let continue.
Can we sit down Thursday and look at what's driving the slippage? I'd rather fix the workflow than have this conversation again.
Prompt structure
The sections this prompt guides the model through.
- Structure
- 1. Open with the specific observation
- 2. State the impact
- 3. Acknowledge their perspective (briefly)
- 4. State what you need going forward
- 5. Close by inviting dialogue
- Rules
Opening lines
The first lines of the prompt itself.
Help me craft a feedback message for a difficult situation.…
One rule from the prompt
A single rule — the full prompt contains more.
No compliment sandwich. It undermines the feedback and insults the recipient's intelligence. Describe behaviors, not traits — "You missed X" not "You're unreliable." No hedging language ("sort of," "maybe," "I feel like"). Be direct.
Unlock the full prompt
Part of the Professional Writing Pack — 7 prompts for CHF 19.
View pack — CHF 19