According to Ken Blanchard ‘Feedback is the breakfast of champions’ I agree however would add it is also a gift; in a positive context it’s the gift to let you know you are doing the right things, a good job and appreciated for it, where negative feedback is given the gift is letting you know how you can improve, get better and avoid future negative consequences.

So why then do we hear managers saying ‘I knew there was a problem, I should have said something sooner however the time wasn’t right’.  These are also people who end up getting cross, reacting unprofessionally or wait until an appraisal and wonder why other people react badly.

Yes positive and negative feedback need to be timely, they also need to be clear and constructive but please no feedback sandwiches, they confuse and give out the wrong messages. 

A simple format I use is EEC, removes the emotion, gives clarity and allows you to structure your thoughts.

Hope you find this useful to give feedback to those managers who procrastinate and for them to use it to share that all important gift.