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KSS Feedback
A simple feedback structure that balances reinforcement and change: Keep doing, Start doing, Stop doing.
Use KSS when feedback feels heavy, personal or one-sided. The model depersonalises the conversation by focusing on observable behaviours and practical next moves, not character judgments.
It works especially well with co-founders, direct reports and leadership peers because it forces a fuller picture: what should continue, what is missing, and what is getting in the way.
The three prompts
Keep doing
Name behaviours that are working and should continue. Be specific so the person knows what success to repeat.
“Keep doing your weekly stakeholder updates - they reduce surprises and improve trust.”
Start doing
Add one or two behaviours that would increase impact. Keep asks concrete and realistic.
“Start sharing your decision rationale in leadership meetings so the team can align faster.”
Stop doing
Identify behaviours that create friction, confusion or risk. Focus on behaviour and impact, not intent.
“Stop rewriting briefs at the last minute - it creates churn and unclear ownership.”
How to run it
- Prepare 1-2 points per section. More than that usually dilutes the conversation.
- Start with Keep to anchor strengths, then move to Start and Stop.
- Use specific examples from recent weeks, not vague patterns from months ago.
- End with one commitment per section and a review date.
KSS is not a softer way to avoid hard feedback. It is a clearer way to hold standards while preserving trust.
Make it a standing ritual with the key people in your orbit — cofounders and direct reports. Both sides show up with a short doc prepared and split the session bilaterally: your KSSs, then mine, in about 50 minutes. Run on a regular cadence it normalises feedback — it stops being the thing that only happens when something went wrong.
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