Are you ignoring your best performers?

By Amber Cooper, MHRM
When it comes to talking to our team about how they are doing, we often can get stuck in the “opportunities” (i.e. what we can do better). What we don’t focus on enough is the positive feedback – and when we do it’s a “Good Work” in passing.
Reality is we tend to ignore our best performers all together, thinking that we can just rely on them to get things done and focus on the other problems that face us every day. If you have someone on your team who is doing a great job, it is a mistake to not provide positive feedback.
Studies vary on the ratio of how much positive to constructive feedback is required by a team member, but you are looking at a minimum of three to a high of seven times. That means for every piece of constructive feedback you give, you need to provide three times the positive encouragement to that same employee.
If you think about your best performing coach, or other team member right now, do you think you are meeting that ratio? And if you do how specific are you? Do you link their behavior to business results; are you providing the kudos in the moment?
These are all elements that make positive feedback more meaningful. Next time, instead of a passing “good work”, take the extra ten seconds and make it clear to them their impact on the growth of the business… i.e. “I wanted to thank you for what I saw back at the desk. Your positive attitude with that potential client really made an impression on them, when they see the people that work here are engaged and happy the customer knows it’s a fun place to be. Thanks for giving them a peek at our culture”
Never assume your best performer knows how appreciated they are, and take the time to provide reinforcement to your team.