Reframe a Difficult Feedback Message to a Senior IC

You need to give feedback to a senior individual contributor who reaches for the shield the moment criticism starts. Give it the person, the raw feedback and the context. It rewrites the message to lead with observable behaviour, tie impact to outcomes, and open a conversation rather than a fight. For managers handling someone skilled, senior and prickly.

I need to deliver difficult feedback to {PERSON_DESCRIPTION}, a senior individual contributor who tends to respond defensively. The feedback is: {RAW_FEEDBACK}. The context is: {CONTEXT}. Help me reframe this feedback so that it: (1) Leads with observable behaviour rather than personality judgements; (2) Connects the impact clearly to team or business outcomes; (3) Invites dialogue rather than triggering defensiveness; (4) Preserves the person's dignity and acknowledges their strengths; (5) Ends with a specific, forward-looking request rather than a vague call to improve. Provide two alternative phrasings for the core message: one for a live conversation and one for written follow-up. Explain the key reframing choices you made.