You want to help your direct reports improve and do great work. And you know that giving recognition and reinforcing feedback is an important part of making that happen. But are you getting the outcomes you want?<\/p>\n
If your direct reports aren\u2019t responding or following through in the ways you hope, the issue could be how you\u2019re delivering your message.<\/p>\n
Use these guidelines to help distinguish between recognition and reinforcing feedback and to learn how to use them to make your direct reports feel appreciated and confident that they\u2019re going in the right direction.<\/p>\n
Answers:
Recognition: 2, 3, 6, and 7. Reinforcing feedback: 1, 4, 5, and 8.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re like many managers, you probably say positive things without giving them too much thought. But you may be missing opportunities to give more powerful acknowledgment and have people respond so they get better at their jobs.<\/p>\n
These techniques apply to both recognition and reinforcing feedback.<\/p>\n
\nPoor (focusing on personal traits):\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cYou\u2019re brilliant!\u201d<\/p>\n
Better (focusing on effort):<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cYou handled that customer complaint brilliantly.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
It\u2019s much easier for people to change their effort and behavior than their personality. A compliment like\u00a0\u201cYou\u2019re brilliant!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0could lose its value over time if the person begins to think,\u00a0So that means I can stop learning and trying.<\/em>\u00a0When you recognize the person\u2019s effort or outcome, they may feel a greater sense of accomplishment being praised for something they did rather than who they are.<\/p>\n
When you give feedback about someone\u2019s effort or outcome, you\u2019re providing useful information going forward. For example,\u00a0\u201cYou handled that customer complaint brilliantly.\u00a0I saw that you paused when the customer needed time to think before they responded and then you paraphrased their idea to make sure you understood them. Those listening techniques helped them feel heard and helped you quickly find the best solution for them.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0And you could connect the person\u2019s behavior to your expectations and goals:\u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s the kind of service that\u2019s going to increase our customer satisfaction scores.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n
2. Be specific about the behaviors you observed.<\/b><\/h3>\n
\nPoor (general):\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cNice job on the client call. Keep it up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Better (specific):\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cGood job connecting the customer\u2019s top needs to each product feature\u2014it really kept the client interested so they asked great questions.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Without specifics\u2014what your direct report did and the impact it had\u2014they might not know what \u201cnice job\u201d means or what they should be \u201ckeeping up.\u201d If a client call goes well, they could mistakenly think,\u00a0The client call went well because they laughed at my joke in the beginning\u2014my boss must have liked it, too. I should keep making jokes.\u00a0<\/em>And you could be disappointed on the next call when your direct report again opens with a joke but then fails to connect the customer\u2019s top needs to the product features.<\/p>\n
One of direct reports\u2019\u00a0top frustrations\u00a0is lack of clear expectations from their manager. If you want someone to continue a behavior, point out exactly what they did so that they know how to do it again\u2014and be explicit that you want more of that behavior (e.g.,\u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s exactly what you should be doing\u201d<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0\u201cKeep doing that\u201d<\/em>).<\/p>\n
3. Use recognition and reinforcing feedback together for maximum effect.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Think of reinforcing feedback as cake and recognition as frosting. Including only frosting (recognition like \u201cGood job!\u201d) gives a good buzz but isn\u2019t enough to sustain someone in the long run. Having only cake (reinforcing feedback) can be substantive and satisfying because it gives people clarity and confidence that they\u2019re headed in the right direction. But it tastes way better with the frosting\u2014that little extra boost that comes from feeling valued.<\/p>\n
For example:<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI appreciate how you shared your expertise in our last team meeting\u00a0<\/em>[recognition].\u00a0It really helped the group get unstuck\u00a0<\/em>[impact]. Please keep looking for opportunities to help out like that\u00a0<\/em>[reinforcing feedback].\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
You don\u2019t always need to combine them. Doing so could come off as patronizing if you go overboard when the person is doing something easy or expected (e.g., When saying,\u00a0\u201cNo errors in your report\u2014good job,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0you probably don\u2019t need to add reinforcing feedback such as \u201cKeep it up\u201d). Save the combo for when a direct report is doing something challenging or out of their comfort zone.<\/p>\n
4. Practice to find a style that works for you and your direct reports.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
As you become more intentional about giving better recognition and reinforcing feedback, you can feel like it\u2019s formulaic. But with a little practice and attention to detail, you can find a style that feels natural for you and that your direct reports receive well.<\/p>\n
\n
- Start with writing\u2014where it\u2019s easier to be intentional\u2014rather than when speaking in the moment.<\/strong>\u00a0Take time to formulate your message. Instead of \u201cI like that\u201d or \u201cGood job,\u201d get specific by describing exactly what the person did, its impact, why you value their contribution, and\/or how they should continue.<\/li>\n
- Ask about and honor people\u2019s preferences.<\/strong>\u00a0For example,\u00a0\u201cI would like to recognize your work on project X. Would you be comfortable with my bringing it up at Tuesday\u2019s team meeting?\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Recognition makes some people uncomfortable, especially when done publicly. They might prefer a personalized note or a group celebration that puts less of a spotlight on them. For more, see\u00a0Recognize a direct report\u2019s excellence in a creative, customized way.<\/li>\n
- Pay attention to how people respond.\u00a0<\/strong>If they light up or show enthusiasm, then your messages are probably landing as you intend. If they don\u2019t respond with more of the behaviors you want, then you might not be clear or specific enough. Or if they respond cynically, negatively, or not at all, you could be misreading the situation or recognizing or giving feedback on things they find easy or obvious. Or there could be something else going on. Ask open-ended questions to get to the root of the issue (e.g.,\u00a0\u201cYou don\u2019t seem enthusiastic about this. Could you share more about what you\u2019re thinking?\u201d<\/em>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n