Why the Best Leaders Focus on Recognition Instead of Criticism

Recognition is an art and a skill that's essential in leadership. However, managers fall into two distinct groups when it comes to providing recognition in the workplace. 

Group #1 is managers who provide little to zero praise to their employees. Want proof? Only 33% of employees feel they receive adequate recognition for their work.

Group #2 is managers who go out of their way to show appreciation. It's as if they know that 83% of employees say recognition affects their motivation at work, and employees who feel recognized are four times more likely to be engaged. 

We would have more managers join group two if they would buy into the principle; small acts of recognition turn into big changes in productivity and performance. 

Small acts of recognition turn into big changes in performance.

Recognition Over Criticism 

Recognition, in the context of leadership, refers to appreciating team members' efforts, behaviors, and contributions. Effective recognition involves specific and authentic feedback that promotes the positive behavior you want to reinforce and encourage moving forward. Said differently, recognition is fuel to continue winning behavior.

Recognition is fuel to continue winning behavior. 

However, many managers fall into the criticism trap instead of recognition. While critical feedback has a place in improving performance, it's sad when managers only look for what's wrong instead of right.  If managers only knew that looking for what's right requires just as much work as looking for what is wrong, maybe they would change.  

If that wasn't enough, criticism tends to fall into the fear bucket, whereas recognition falls into the reward bucket. When something causes fear, our brains default to inaction. When something is a reward, our brain defaults to action.

Fear causes inaction. Reward creates action.

You can think of it like this: 

Recognition = Fountain

Criticism = Drain

Like that old adage: you get to decide if you are a fountain or a drain.  The best leaders are a fountain, not a drain. So be a fountain, not a drain.

Research suggests managers should give five times the amount of recognition to criticism to be highly effective.

How to Give Recognition That Matters

When people know they did wrong, they avoid you. When they think they did right, they seek you.  Finding employees to recognize shouldn't be hard. However, since giving recognition isn't a strong suit for most managers, here are ways to improve:

1. Make it Personal

People are wired differently. Some people would do anything for their name to be recognized publicly, and for others, it could make them want to crawl into a hole. The point is that the best leaders make recognition personal in order to make it meaningful. This requires a personal relationship and a strong bond of mutual trust.  

Great leaders make recognition personal in order to make it meaningful

2. Emphasize Process-Oriented Behavior

People have a high BS meter today. So, instead of offering generic praise, pinpoint exactly where the team member exceeded the standard. For example, instead of saying, "good job," you would say, "The effort you demonstrated in a difficult situation today was inspiring to me and your teammates." This shows that you are paying close attention to their effort and truly value specific contributions. 

Be intentional about emphasizing what the team member did to deserve the recognition, regardless of how big or small. Instead of just focusing on the result of their work, focus on the process-orientated behavior that produced it. It could be things like their attitude, effort, or coachability. The point is that no process-oriented action is too small to be recognized.  

Great recognition focuses on the behavior that produced the outcome, not the result itself.

3. Discuss the Impact

Highlight their behavior's impact on the team, organization, or themselves. This is critical and often forgotten or assumed. Unless you work in sales, it can be difficult to draw a direct correlation between behavior and outcome. However, the more leaders talk about the real impact, the longer the recognition lasts.

The more you talk about real impact, the longer the recognition lasts.

Team members need to know that their work is meaningful and creates an impact that might go well beyond money. Take time to spell out what good things happened or could happen because of their extra effort. 

Closing

Recognition is an art and skill that is essential in leadership.  There is nothing soft about being the kind of leader who provides authentic praise to teammates for the right kind of effort or outcomes.  If this isn't something you have done well, don't beat yourself up.  Just remember, small acts of recognition turn into big changes in performance. 

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About the Author John Eades is the CEO of LearnLoft, and creator of the Accelerate Leadership Program. He was named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices. John is also the author of Building the Best: 8 Proven Leadership Principles to Elevate Others to Success. You can follow him on Instagram @johngeades.