Why we wait too long to give feedback
We all know feedback is important. It is one of the best ways to grow ourselves and the people around us. Feedback keeps people motivated and on track. And yet, it is common to wait too long to give feedback especially improvement feedback. Why is this? This typically happens for 3 reasons.
- You hoped the issue would resolve itself.
- You knew the person had a lot going on at the time and you didn’t want to pile on.
- You anticipated a negative reaction and you didn’t want to deal with it.
What to do when you wait too long to give feedback
Regardless of why we wait too long to give feedback, it’s important to get unstuck so you can share the information people need to be successful. One of the first things to do is to check if the feedback is still valid. Valid feedback is relevant to the success of the person, team or organization. And it is important for them to know in order to be successful moving forward. If the feedback is still valid, you owe it to yourself and the other person to give them the feedback. Here are the steps to take to give the feedback that is late.
- Acknowledge that you waited too long and that this feedback should have been given earlier.
- Recognize that the person may have already started to alter this behavior.
- Give the feedback.
- Commit to timely feedback in the future.
Micro-learning video
How Tandem can help
Looking to support your team in giving real time feedback? Tandem is there with your team in their workflow. Your team will feel supported in knowing how to give motivational positive feedback and supportive improvement feedback. They will no longer wait too long to give important feedback. Get started here!
