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Giving positive feedback to others and recognizing their accomplishments can be highly rewarding for both of you! So why is it that so many leaders often don’t give the praise that employees are yearning for?

There are many studies that confirm that feedback has a direct impact on employee engagement and productivity. However, it is often mistaken that giving feedback means pointing out areas that need to improve; to focus on what went wrong rather than what went right. Yes, this kind of feedback can help to improve certain behaviors when given in a constructive way, but it is not enough!

Receiving positive feedback increases the neuro-transmitter dopamine in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that activates motivation and reward, and triggers people into action.  Employees who feel recognized for their hard work experience more job satisfaction, are happier, and are less likely to quit, thereby also lowering costs associated with turnover.  

According to a Harvard study, the average employee ideally needs 6 positive pieces of feedback for every negative review received. I do not mean to imply that every time you point out a problem situation to an employee that it needs to be sugar coated with positive comments.  Over time, however, the more positive feedback a person receives the greater their belief that the manager is trying to help them, increasing the likelihood that negative feedback is accepted and appreciated.

Additional advantages to giving positive feedback to others:

-       It highlights behaviors that can be repeated and improves the likelihood of them doing it well in the future.

-       It can be delivered in front of others, so they have the opportunity to learn from another’s success.

-       It reinforces that you care about their development and recognize their hard work.

-       It encourages others to want to do more for you.

To improve the outcomes of feedback conversations it is best for it to be timely and specific.. These same principles are true when delivering positive messages.  If you really want to make a difference in a person’s day, say more than “you did a good job”; increase the odds of that person repeating the positive behavior by saying “you made a very good impression in that meeting by sharing the details of the study, which helped to clarify the reason for your recommendation.”  My suggestion is “say it as you see it”; it takes just a few minutes of your time to reap the benefits of happy and motivated employees.

Coaching can be helpful for leaders who desire to improve their ability to give feedback.  Contact me at leslie@lsradvisors.netor via phone at 914-715-0614 for further information on how I can help you to develop this skill and make you a better leader.