The power of timely feedback: Building trust and better conversations in leadership
The more I work with people to help them have better conversations, the more important the issue becomes of providing timely feedback. Timeliness isn’t just a logistical nicety; it’s a trust-building mechanism because when it’s given close to the moment of action:
👉 Memories are fresh, so both parties can engage with clarity and specificity.
👉 Emotions are still accessible, allowing for authentic reflection rather than distant analysis.
👉 Behavioural change feels possible, because the feedback is relevant to current patterns, not historical ones. Delayed feedback can often land as a backdated judgment rather than a developmental nudge. It can erode psychological safety, especially if it’s tied to a narrative that’s been quietly forming over time. The reason I get concerned when people don’t provide feedback in a timely way is because they start to see that person through a fixed lens, then start to compile evidence to confirm their views. And, of course, they always find it whether it’s there or not because they’ve used their confirmation bias lens to see it! And this is where late feedback becomes corrosive because our interpretations may be incorrect and then the feedback is no longer about growth; it’s about reinforcing our own narrative. If this is something you’ve experienced recently, let me give you a few practices to help you counteract those dynamics:
✅ Feedback in real time, or as close to the moment as possible, framed as curiosity rather than conclusion. When you put it off, you’ll grow the issue into a monster!
✅ Be specific about behaviours, anchoring feedback in your own observable actions rather than character traits.
✅ Reflective prompts, like “What surprised you about this interaction?” or “What might I be missing in how I’m interpreting this?”
✅ Multiple lenses, inviting others to share what they see, especially across roles and contexts. If you are looking for help to create better conversations in your organisation and make giving feedback the norm, please get in touch.
Timeliness isn’t just a logistical nicety; it’s a trust-building mechanism because when it’s given close to the moment of action:
👉 Memories are fresh, so both parties can engage with clarity and specificity.
👉 Emotions are still accessible, allowing for authentic reflection rather than distant analysis.
👉 Behavioural change feels possible, because the feedback is relevant to current patterns, not historical ones.
Delayed feedback can often land as a backdated judgment rather than a developmental nudge. It can erode psychological safety, especially if it’s tied to a narrative that’s been quietly forming over time.
The reason I get concerned when people don’t provide feedback in a timely way is because they start to see that person through a fixed lens, then start to compile evidence to confirm their views. And, of course, they always find it whether it’s there or not because they’ve used their confirmation bias lens to see it! And this is where late feedback becomes corrosive because our interpretations may be incorrect and then the feedback is no longer about growth; it’s about reinforcing our own narrative.
If this is something you’ve experienced recently, let me give you a few practices to help you counteract those dynamics:
✅ Feedback in real time, or as close to the moment as possible, framed as curiosity rather than conclusion. When you put it off, you’ll grow the issue into a monster!
✅ Be specific about behaviours, anchoring feedback in your own observable actions rather than character traits.
✅ Reflective prompts, like “What surprised you about this interaction?” or “What might I be missing in how I’m interpreting this?”
✅ Multiple lenses, inviting others to share what they see, especially across roles and contexts.
If you are looking for help to create better conversations in your organisation and make giving feedback the norm, please get in touch.