Say it Often, Say It Loud

When Bill Medley became Superintendent of Schools in USD 465 one of the first things I remember hearing from him was his mantra, “Find them doing something good!” The first time I heard him say that it seemed a little corny, but through the years I have come to understand the slogan’s truth and wisdom. Sincere encouragement in almost any form is as close to a silver bullet as there is in human relations. Using encouragement in the workplace is paramount in achieving lasting success.

In the video “The Practical Coach” the leader is challenged to “when you see it say it” concerning the employee observed doing good work. I would add: say it often, say it loud. Let others know when good work is happening. Doing so commends the employee and sets a pattern for others. What is said also is important. Just saying “good work” is better than nothing, but letting the employee know what you liked about their performance assures repetition. Failing to be timely in recognizing good work can lead to a sense of lack of appreciation. Too much is better than not enough in the case of kind words of praise.

Be careful that the praise is sincere and specific. The purpose is not to flatter but to commend and show appreciation. The words reinforce behavior and help give the employee a sense of belonging and meaningful contribution to the task. In reality, coaching or leading is no more than letting people know that what they do matters to you. When we let them know about good work, they sense we care and have taken time to notice them. When we are silent we may send an unintentional message that we are disinterested or that what they are doing is of little importance to us. It remains important to have consistent dialogue with them.

Often in employee surveys a missing ingredient is the employee knowing what is expected and how they are performing. Performance evaluations given once or twice a year are important, but lack time relevance. The delay contributes to the overall perception of a lack of effective communications within an organization. By the time formal evaluations are given there is little recollection of the commended (or criticized) events. It is important that the leader or coach never lets good work go unnoticed so it will become a sequence of successful events.