• Be task or goal specific - You are not feeding back on THEM as a person, but on their actions or behaviours. Stick to the facts! If you tell someone they acted unprofessionally, what do that actually mean? Too loud, too friendly, poorly dressed? Stick to what you know firsthand too as it is difficult to give feedback based on others views.
• Make it regular - feedback shouldn't just be planned for yearly appraisals; it should be a frequent event which is always taking place.
• Catch people doing things right - It is so easy to only give feedback when things have gone wrong. In reality people get more right than they do wrong at work, so make a point of noticing when people do things right.
• Feedback as early as possible - Whether the feedback is motivational or developmental give it as early as appropriate. It is more likely to be understood and taken on board. The only exception is if the situation is highly emotional or perhaps in front of a customer, in which case wait until everyone has calmed down.
• Avoid feedback that cannot be acted upon - The purpose of giving the feedback is to facilitate action. Make sure it can be acted upon.
• Check the feedback is understood - Back to your communication skills! Have you given them a "reason why" to help them understand?
• Give the recipient chance to respond
• Use non-threatening language - When giving developmental feedback, choose your words carefully. Whilst you have to make it clear the consequences if improvements are not achieved, you don't need to do it in a threatening way. Remember you are providing feedback to improve a situation or performance.

Remember feedback is often seen between a manager/supervisor and employee. However feedback can and should be given up, down and laterally and the same principles apply.