The toughest question I’ve ever faced during a performance review wasn’t asked when I was being evaluated. It was asked when I was evaluating. It came from startled and slightly disappointed direct reports. Not once, but twice; two years apart. Clearly I didn’t learn from the first experience.

The question was simple: “Why didn’t you say so earlier?” The follow-up “I could have probably done something about it, then” was left unsaid. But I heard it. On both occasions. By not providing feedback on time, I had robbed them of the opportunity to learn and take corrective action on time. To them, raising it at the review seemed unfair. Nothing can make a line boss feel more useless to his direct reports than knowing he wasn’t around when he was needed, or didn’t do what was expected.

I was reminded of this experience while working with a diverse group of middle management recently. Since they were from different organisations, I put the issue of providing feedback as an open question. I was quite surprised to hear a consistent theme, despite the range of actual responses. Some believed that performance issues could be addressed with appropriate training. A few thought a gentle, corrective word would be enough. Most felt that feedback should be formal and provided in a scheduled manner.

Some of this will be guided by the organisation’s culture, beliefs and policies. I accept that. So I probed further, and discovered remarkable similarities between their experiences with direct reports. In most cases, they had worked with the direct reports for over a year, developed a healthy working relationship and a rapport, had been through ups and downs together, and had earned their trust. However they all felt that performance feedback required more formal and careful handling.

That might be needed in a few cases, but on the whole this only serves to complicate the issue further. People like to know how they’re doing far more often than managers seem to realise. Specifically, they like to know what they could have done better when the incident is fresh. Discussing the issue immediately has two important benefits: the direct report is able to focus on the specific feedback, and not get distracted by the big picture of a performance review; and you can come up with an action plan to address the specific performance outage, together.

Deliver that feedback well. Stick to facts, use the incident, keep it objective, and focus on specifics. Do it in private. Make it clear you’re delivering feedback, and be prepared to hear another point of view. Turn it into a conversation. Done well, you will learn as much as you teach. You will both benefit.

It’s equally important that you appreciate a job well done just as promptly, and preferably in public. This has an immediate and strong impact on the individual and the team.

Save the evaluation to review the whole year and to plan the future. By waiting for the performance review or similar appropriate occasion to provide feedback, not only is the specific performance issue given more importance than it probably needs, important and actionable feedback is delayed. No one gains.

Remember that feedback is the breakfast of champions. So provide timely feedback and build champions.