Submitted by Black_Caps on
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What is the general statute of limitation for giving feedback?
I know the guideline is not to drag up the past occurrences of the same behavior. In this case, I have a negative feedback item that I did not give to a DR when the behavior happened. I made a note to give negative feedback, but it has been a month since the behavior happened. The same behavior has not been repeated since.
30 to 45 minutes is the
30 to 45 minutes is the longest that I would go.
If it's been more than a day or two, let it go. Besides, you've given hundreds of bits of positive feedback since, right?
The feedback cast doesn't
The feedback cast doesn't set a limitation, but immediacy is best. That doesn't mean immediately after the event, but at an appropriate time. I'd suggest that, if you think it's too long ago, let it go. Either they won't do it again, so the feedback isn't needed, or they'll do it again and you can nail the timing, having learned from the last time.
Don't make perfect the enemy of the good! We don't focus on the act of giving feedback, but on the desired outcome of the feedback - behaviour adjustment. So either they'll do it again, you give feedback, or they don't, and it doesn't matter.
If you STILL want to give feedback, you could mention in an O3 that you noticed that they did something wrong and then didn't do it again, and that it demonstrates they are conscious about what they do.
Why bother?
Gonna have to agree with SCGOLDIE on this one...If the same behavior hasn't been repeated since the incident, why bother? It wouldn't do any good to dredge up past issues. If the point of Feedback is to encourage good behavior, and that negative behavior hasn't occured again, then giving feedback at this point would be counter-productive. I would keep an eye out for the negative behavior, and if it happens again, go for immediacy like SCGOLDIE mentioned. Be sure to only point out the one occurence, and not shoot yourself in the foot by bringing up the past occurrence and saying "I've noticed this happening before" or "These seems to be a habit of yours", or any derivative thereof. Forget the past bad behavior and move forward.
One week.
We have a cast about this, as I recall.
Don't give feedback that's more than a week old. Otherwise, it comes across as focusing on the past. Remember that the purpose of feedback is encouraging effective future behavior. You go too far back, and it just feels like you're beating a dead horse.
As has been said, if it doesn't (or it hasn't) happen again, 'why bother'? Seems like it's self-corrected.
Now, we recommend a week. MY personal rule is since the last One on One. That's only because I have trouble remembering how long a week is. I just sort of burn the past behind me... so I'm never sure. So, my rule is since the O3. Yes, that means that if you do something Tuesday, and we have an O3 Wednesday, you're clear for whatever you did Tuesday. (Sometimes I make exceptions, usually for positive stuff.)
Mark