Positive feedback is letting team members know what they did right and how it has positively influenced the work environment. Providing positive feedback correctly is valuable because it can increase employees’ confidence and improve their performance. It should only take seconds to give someone positive feedback and can be done face-to-face (the best method) or by phone, e-mail, or even fax. Here are four examples:
"Leyta, staying late last week to finish the SJ project got the deliverable out on time. The customer was very pleased, and we can be assured of a renewal of the contract."
"Great report, Ted. I really like it."
"James, sharing your knowledge about the working of the KIT formula will allow Deidre to continue your work while you are away. We will be able to get the formula out to the drug company sooner than expected."
"Andersen, I was impressed with the analysis of numbers on the Reiner portfolio. You explained the statistics so well in the written report. I’m sure Mr. Reiner will be able to make an informed decision because of the quality of the information you provided. You helped this company meet its mission of satisfying customer needs."
Actually, one of these examples isn’t a good example of positive feedback. It is the second one. While the manager is telling Ted something positive (i.e., he likes Ted’s report), Ted may not be able to repeat the good performance because he may not know exactly what was great about the report. The manager should have said, "Ted, your report was concise, well researched and documented. The client now understands why they should invest with us. Our revenues will increase by at least 10 percent." When giving positive feedback, specifics should be mentioned (as they were in the other examples). Then employees will be motivated to repeat the positive behaviors. Some tips for giving positive feedback follow.
Be Timely. Giving someone positive feedback should be done as soon after the event as possible. It is best to give the positive feedback within days. Once a manager says something like "Remember last year when you . . . ," the positive feedback loses its conviction and importance. Additionally, the manager loses credibility and the trust of the team member.
Be Specific. If managers want certain behaviors repeated, they need to be very specific in the type of positive feedback they give. The more detailed the manager is, the more likely the behavior or action will be repeated. Managers should avoid general statements like "Nice job," "Good to have you around," or "You did excellent work on that project." In the previous examples, examples 1, 3, and 4 are very specific.
Describe the Impact. Most team members like to know how their work ties into the bigger picture or the larger scheme of things, such as meeting the goals of the unit, department, or organization. Including this impact statement makes the positive feedback even more meaningful. Here is an example (in italics) of attaching an impact statement to the positive feedback: "Cynthia, we were able to sell the client the new prototype because your field analysis convinced them that they would make money. This met the department’s goal of selling three new prototypes this year." The previously given examples 1, 3, and 4 all have impact statements:
Example 1: We can be assured of a renewal of the contract.
Example 3: We will be able to get the formula out to the drug company earlier than expected.
Example 4: You helped this company meet its mission of satisfying all customer needs.
Avoid Assigning More Work. When managers give their team members positive feedback, they should not give them more work, especially the same type of work, at the same time. Otherwise, team members may feel they are being punished for doing well.
Don’t Overdo It. Too many managers go to extremes when they give positive feedback. They give their team members too much positive feedback. When this occurs, the impact of the important feedback is diminished. I used to work with a manager who gave his team positive feedback if they showed up, came to a meeting, or came back from lunch on time. That’s overdoing it. Save positive feedback for those times when employees have really done something outstanding or have improved their performance or behavior.
Keep the Message Pure. I have worked with some managers who find it very difficult to give someone only positive feedback. They have this need or habit of attaching a criticism to the message. For example, "Vincent, I want to congratulate you on such an excellent presentation on our new mobile line. The audience recognized all the new features and how those features will be of benefit. I am sure we will sell millions. But, when you run your staff meetings, you have a tendency to . . ." As soon as the manager mentions that "but" word, she has contaminated the positive message. The team member will only remember what was said after the "but" or believe that to be the more important part of the message. Managers need to separate the positive message from the constructive feedback.
Keep the Message Congruent. As mentioned in Platinum Skill of Active Listening on active listening, when managers send messages to their staff the message has to be congruent. The verbal, visual, and vocal components of the message have to be in sync. If a manager is giving a staff member positive feedback but his tone of voice doesn’t reflect that, or if he has an unhappy look on his face, then the message is incongruent and the staff member will be confused about how to interpret the message.
Avoid the Excuses for Not Giving Positive Feedback. In many organizations, managers are hesitant to give positive feedback. They do not see their managers or their colleagues giving it, so they don’t either. Effective managers need to break this cycle and give their team positive feedback when they deserve it. Giving positive feedback is quick, easy to do, and doesn’t cost anything. It is a great business strategy. Positive feedback builds trust and a constructive working relationship between manager and team member. It is also one of the best motivators. Positive feedback has a ripple effect. When a manager gives someone positive feedback it makes that person feel good. When people feel good, they treat others better and often take the time to praise someone else. Many managers find many reasons for not giving positive feedback. Some of these reasons are valid; others are just excuses.
Valid Reasons
- "It takes time." The benefits are, however, well worth the time investment. It should only take a minute or less to give someone some positive praise.
- "I’m not sure how to do it" or "It feels uncomfortable." Giving positive feedback is definitely a skill that needs to be practiced (steps for giving positive feedback are described later in this section).
- "I have a very large staff. It is not possible to give everyone positive feedback." Once again, it takes some time to give positive feedback, but giving praise increases productivity and profitability. Managers must make the time to praise.
Excuses
- "If I praise others I will be considered weak." Quite the opposite is true. It takes great strength to give others positive feedback.
- "I have productivity stage 5 staff. They are all great performers. They don’t need positive feedback." All staff members, regardless of their productivity level, need positive feedback. If managers do not give productivity stage 5 staff praise, they run the risk of having these staff members regress to a lower productivity stage or leave the company. Even if staff members already know that they are doing excellent work, occasionally, they need to hear it from their managers.
- "I have several productivity stage 2 and 3 employees. What could I possibly give them positive feedback for?" Managers genuinely need to praise employees who deserve the recognition and not make it up. With employees who are not performing at their peak, praise should be given for any significant improvements in performance or behavior.
- "My team will laugh at me. They’ll say, ‘Show me the money.’" As we will discuss in Platinum Skill of Creating a Motivational Climate on motivation, team members definitely like tangible rewards for achieving their goals. But the majority of employees also welcome sincere verbal or written praise from their managers. In fact, praise motivates team members for much longer periods than do tangible rewards like bonuses.
Make It Private (and Maybe Public). Management circles disagree as to whether positive feedback should be given in private or made public. I believe both avenues are appropriate. I always recommend that managers give the positive feedback in private. Then, depending on the team member involved and other circumstances, decide whether to give it in public as well. Many team members don’t like to get public recognition. They may feel embarrassed or don’t want to be singled out if they work in a team environment. A good strategy is to consult with the team member who you are about to give public recognition to. Ask for her thoughts or permission. By the way, a great tactic for giving positive feedback is to put it in writing and place a copy in the team member’s personnel file, and then send a copy to the "big" boss. Employees love this.
If a manager is thinking of giving positive feedback in front of others he should know the makeup of his group. Will there be some employees who will get jealous or feel that they should have gotten recognized as well? Will one or two people in attendance sit back and think, "Well, I did that same thing a few weeks ago and no one noticed and gave me praise for it." On the other hand, public recognition can be a great team builder and energize the entire group.
Remember That Giving Positive Feedback Is a Skill. It takes some time and practice to recognize when to give someone positive feedback and actually how to do it. Let’s review the steps involved:
Step 1:
Specifically describe the behavior or performance that deserves positive feedback.
Example:
"I like the videotapes you have selected for the patient waiting area."
Step 2:
Describe why the behavior or performance deserves positive feedback.
Example:
"The patients will now have something to do while they wait for their doctor."
Step 3:
Describe the impact of the behavior or performance.
Example:
"Patients will be much more relaxed and view our medical center as one that cares about patient needs."
Managers who are not familiar with or lack experience in giving positive feedback should do some planning before they deliver positive feedback. Answering the following questions will be good preparation:
Positive Feedback Planning Guide
- What is the event or behavior that deserves the positive feedback?
- What are the specific behaviors that need to be acknowledged or reinforced by the positive feedback? (What type of performance do you want more of?)
- Is the positive feedback related to the performance of a new task or assignment, or to the improved performance of existing tasks/assignments?
- Are you going to praise the person publicly or privately?
- In your opinion, will the person be glad to get the positive feedback? If not, why do you think so? Is there anything else you can do to show that you recognize the performance, besides giving positive feedback?
- Were there any other people involved who deserve positive feedback?