What is actionable feedback?

• A. Feedback that provides clear suggestions for improvement.
• B. Feedback that is only praise.
• C. Feedback that describes the athlete's feelings.
• D. Feedback that lists every possible fault.

Answer: (B)

Actionable feedback gives precise, implementable steps you can use to improve performance. It targets a specific observable behavior and includes clear guidance you can practice on the next attempt. For example, instead of just saying “good job,” actionable feedback would specify what to adjust, like “extend your arm fully and rotate your hips earlier to maintain propulsion.” This is why it’s the best fit: it directly guides improvement.

Praise-only feedback doesn’t tell you what to change, so it doesn’t help you improve. Describing the athlete’s feelings doesn’t translate into technique you can adjust. Listing every fault can be overwhelming and not provide a practical path forward.