The art of giving constructive criticism is a well known management concept. The skill of giving and receiving critical feedback is an important one for all managers to learn. If handled appropriately, by the person giving it and the person receiving it, a critique can result in professional and personal growth for both of the people involved in the discussion.
There’s an equally important skill that’s rarely talked about and commonly misunderstood. The ability to give productive praise is as important as the ability to give productive critical feedback. But, unfortunately and erroneously, the knack of giving constructive praise is viewed as easier and more natural to do. Therefore, many people believe it doesn’t need to be learned.
They think – What’s there to learn, don’t you just tell someone they’re doing a good job and move on? The answer is an emphatic “No”. People rarely respond to and rarely learn anything from a generic “good job”. To be useful meaningful praise should follow the same guidelines as meaningful criticism.
Be timely. Highlight the here and now. Focus your praise on specific behaviors which have happened very recently, ideally in the last day or two.
Neal was confused when Sam, the owner of the company, said, “Thanks for your hard work”. He thought Sam was being sarcastic because it was a very light work week. When he realized it was 2 weeks ago (when the whole shop worked hard to fill a large order) that he was being thanked for Neal perceived the praise as being “a day late and a dollar short”. The praise only strengthened Neal’s opinion that Sam was out of touch with the daily operations.
Focus on behaviors. Specifically refer to what the person did or does. Describe what you have seen and think about his behavior. Use “I” statements and focus on behaviors you want him to continue doing, which reinforces positive actions
Paul was diligently putting in long hours for a new a client. His manager Jill stopped by his office and praised him for his work. She specifically cited the weekend hours he was putting in and how satisfied she was with the quality of the work he was producing. Paul was gratified to see that someone was paying attention and felt she “was interested” in his success.
Be specific. Be ready and able to discuss the behaviors specifically. Praise that’s too general is often seen as insincere or of little value.
Dawn’s boss Ed thanked her for her contribution to a presentation which helped secure a large contract. She had used new techniques for the graphics and was eager to hear about the reaction to them. She asked for specific feedback to gauge what might work for future presentations. It quickly became clear Ed didn’t know what her contribution was and that he had paid little attention to the presentation. Dawn saw his praise as “dishonest and worthless”.
When done correctly, constructive praise is often more effective in motivating people than constructive criticism. Successful managers learn how to use both to improve relationships and productivity. A few well-chosen, specific and timely words of praise have been known to make the difference between a good day and a bad day for many people.
