Be generous with
praise - Everyone desires praise and it’s one of the easiest things to
give. Plus, praise can go a lot farther than you think; praise every
improvement that you see your team members make. Once you’re comfortable delivering praise
one-on-one to an employee, try praising them in front of others.
Make your ideas
theirs - Instead of telling people what you want done; ask them in a way
that will make them feel like they came up with the idea. “I’d like you to do
it this way” turns into “Do you think it’s a good idea if we do it this way?”
Never criticize or
correct - Try an indirect approach to get people to improve, learn from
their mistakes, and fix them. Ask, “Was
that the best way to approach the problem? Why not? Do you have any ideas on what you could have
done differently?” That way you’re
having a conversation and talking through solutions, not pointing a finger.
Give recognition and
small rewards - These two things come in many forms: Recognize someone in a
company meeting for what they have accomplished. Run contests or internal games and keep track
of the results on a whiteboard that everyone can see. Tangible awards that don’t break the bank can
work too. Try things like dinner,
trophies, spa services, and plaques.
Share the rewards—and the pain. When your company does well, celebrate. This is the best time to let everyone know
that you’re thankful for their hard work. Go out of your way to show how far you will go
when people help your company succeed. If there are disappointments, share those too. If you expect high performance, your team
deserves to know where the company stands. Be honest and transparent!
