Giving feedback to someone who is not your direct report requires even more skill. Navigate lateral feedback with credibility and care.
Part of
Giving & Receiving Feedback →
The skill most people avoid and everyone needs — learn to deliver honest feedback that drives growth and receive criticism without crumbling. You'll navigate four escalating scenarios — from the sandwich myth to the growth conversation — practicing the decisions that matter most when the pressure is real and the stakes are personal. This isn't theory. It's practice for the moments that define how this chapter of your life unfolds.
Skills you'll build
What happens in this story4 scenarios
Your peer asks for honest feedback on their presentation, and you know honest means telling them it needs serious work. The word "great" is so much easier to say.
You tell the truth — carefully, specifically, with examples. Their expression shifts from expectation to something more guarded, and you wonder if you have just damaged a friendship.
They push back, and now you are debating subjective quality with someone whose ego is involved. The line between helpful feedback and personal criticism blurs dangerously.
They revise the presentation using your notes and it is genuinely better. They thank you — not in the moment, but a week later, after the presentation lands. Trust was the price of entry.
More stories in this course
View all →The Sandwich Myth
Hiding criticism between compliments fools nobody. Learn to be direct, kind, and specific — all at once.
4 scenarios →The Gut Punch
Your manager just told you something you were not ready to hear. Process the sting without dismissing the message.
4 scenarios →The Growth Conversation
Transform feedback from a dreaded event into an ongoing dialogue that both parties actually look forward to.
4 scenarios →The Peer Review
Giving feedback to someone who is not your direct report requires even more skill. Navigate lateral feedback with credibility and care.
Start free →4 scenarios · 25 min · No account required to try