Recognition – Maybe it’s time to shift the fridge magnets?

Think back to the last time you received powerful recognition for a job well done. I don’t mean a “Well done”, or a “Thanks for doing that”. That’s just a passing comment that you may have received at the water cooler or maybe in an email, or on a post it note. When did you last provide some really powerful feedback to your colleagues or team? Again, not a passing comment, but some really useful feedback and recognition?

When we are discussing feedback and recognition as part of our courses, we hear lots of comments from managers about why they don’t give as much feedback as they should. Here are a few:

1) Why should I pat them on the back for simply doing their job?
2) I’ve got too many staff – it would take me all day to praise them all.
3) I don’t have the time.
4) It always seems a bit cringy, a bit too touchy feely for me.

Positive praise reinforces desired behaviours. Think about a dog running around in a field. You throw the stick, it brings it back and you provide positive praise, a cuddle or two, or you may even reward for your four legged friend with a treat. The likelihood is that the dog will want to perform its little trick again and again for you. I’m not saying that you should give your team members a dog chew every time they do something well but you get the gist.

Children are no different to dogs, in a good way. Your child comes home from school with a painting of an alleged fire engine. In truth, it’s just a blob of red paint. Of course you don’t tell them this. You move all of the magnets on the fridge to make way for this little masterpiece. After praising his efforts little Tommy runs off to produce yet another Monet masterpiece. Again, positive praise reinforces desired behaviour. If you want your team to produce great work time and time again they need you to provide useful feedback and positive reinforcement.

Here’s a few tips from us on providing a spot of recognition:

• It’s all about their behaviour – Be specific. A simple “Well done” (-whilst nice) just isn’t enough. They have no idea which particular bit they have done well so you need to be really explicit. Tell them exactly what they have done well and how their particular actions and behaviour have impacted on both them and the wider team.

• Deliver it ASAP. Don’t wait until their monthly 1:1 to deliver it – do it as soon as possible after the event. Doing it quickly as you see it happen will have more impact and they are more likely to remember what it was that they did well and associate these positive feelings with wanting to do that same task in the same way again.

• Face to face – Wherever possible, do it face to face. Try and refrain from sending it in an email, especially if you are only 2 seats away. If you manage them remotely try to make a special effort to go and meet with them to provide the praise. A phone call is fine if meeting them isn’t possible, but face to face is much more powerful.

• Mean what you say – Provide your praise with lots of enthusiasm and genuine sincerity. I’m not saying you have to enter the room with a brass band behind you with ticker tape falling from the ceiling but speak with passion and make sure you believe it. Don’t make it sound like its just empty words – they will see straight through you and the feedback will mean absolutely nothing.

Book Recommendation 

We’d highly recommend; Trust Factor by Paul.J.Zak. If you like a spot of neuroscience, you’ll love this! Packed full of evidence, this book will get you to realise that as a manager you have the power to release positive and negative hormones in others, especially when offering feedback and praise.