2 | The Perils of Praise: Giving Positive Feedback
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"This is really embarrassing. I never know what to
say in return."
Or:
"I wonder what you want from me now."
What Is Praise?
Praise is a vague statement that makes a positive
judgment about a person but contains very
little information or any real meaning. Example:
"You're the best team member I have." This
statement is loaded with judgment, which can
make us doubtful or even distrustful. There is no
real information contained in the message, so
there is nothing to grab onto as a way of building
motivational steam.
Give Positive Feedback Instead
Positive feedback, on the other hand, is a specific,
nonjudgmental statement about a person that
contains concrete and meaningful information.
Example:"You ran that team meeting really
well: you encouraged open discussion, stuck
to the agenda, and ended on time." There is no
judgment here, only a statement of fact. The
message has some meat to it: the person knows
exactly what he or she has done (and likely will
do in the future). There should be no need for the
receiver to wonder about ulterior motives. There
should be no embarrassment by the receiver,
unless the person is not used to receiving such
feedback and doesn't know how to respond. If
so, tell the receiver that a simple "thank you" is all
that's required.
So, put away the candy handouts and give
positive feedback instead. Give it soon and often.
Make it specific and concrete. Then watch what
happens.
About the Author:
Casey Mitchell, trainer and consultant for Corporate Education
Group, is devoted to helping people achieve peak perfor-
mance. Her primary focus is on management learning and
development. Casey works with new managers who want to
make a successful transition and with existing managers who
want to move into leadership roles. She has 18 years of expe-
rience in the training field and a wealth of management ex-
perience, which helps her relate to her clients' needs. Prior to
founding her own consulting firm, Casey was Human Resource
Development Manager at Marshalls Department Stores.
