Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda – Fuggetaboutit
Few things drive me crazier than a life lived, or a business run, conditionally.
What kills possibilities, action, and momentum better than“if” and “when”?
I get a lot of affirmative nodding when I talk about positive feedback being the most important Do it Now in managing employees. And then a lot of excuses.
“They’ll come to expect it.”
“Why would I reward what I already pay them to do?”
“I feel like I’m being fake… Like I’m just looking for something to comment on.”
“I’m waiting for just the right moment. It has to be better.”
Most of the excuses can be summed as “I’ll do it if…” and “I’ll do it when…” Of course If and When never come. The excuses roll out, the performances continue to be sub-par, and the turn-over punishing.
So Lets Make It A Game…
Positive feedback is like the Warmer… Colder… game. Remember that? At Easter, when you were hunting for chocolate? As you got closer to the chocolate bunny, your parents would shout “Warm, warm, warmer, WARMER, hot, SO HOT!!” And as you moved away “Cooler, colder, cold, FREEZING!” It was fun, you understood the rules, and you got the bunny.
That’s how to treat positive feedback for your team. Don’t let your employees walk around in the dark doing their best to guess where the pay-off is hidden. Don’t make them wait until they accidentally stumble onto the prize behaviour before you suddenly shout, after the fact, “HOT!”.
The rules for this game:
- You must know where the prizes are. Know exactly what kinds of performances, measurables, and behaviours are required to lift your business to the next level this month, this quarter, or this year.
- Communicate what is needed. With crystal clarity. Don’t make people read your mind. Don’t assume “it’s common sense.” Don’t assume the memo you sent out last month covered it. Find ways to weave those desired behaviours into every conversation, every meeting, and every written message.
- Start at Warm! When someone does something that is even generally in the right direction, give appropriate feedback like “That’s what we’re looking for!” Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Don’t use those chicken-shit conditional If’s and When’s. You’ll never get there, and your team will get tired of playing the game.
I find it a frustrating irony that we don’t seem to have any trouble playing the Colder version of the game. Let someone step out of line even a little bit, and you can be sure they’ll hear about it. We don’t even have to screw up big time. A little bit is enough to make most managers (and even our colleagues) yell “Freezing!”
This is one game that gets results. And don’t wait for the ‘right moment’ to start playing it. Start this week; start right now. You’ll be amazed at how much your team suddenly starts pulling in the right direction, now that they know where the bunny is.
I work with business owners to redesign the future of their businesses. Want more out of your business? Contact me. From my home base on Vancouver Island, I provide planning and coaching support to businesses across Canada.
[...] Resources. The absence of good communication generally, and the absence of positive feedback specifically.If you don’t have a systematic, consistent way of delivering positive feedback, I [...]
[...] absence of good communication generally, and the absence of positive feedback specifically. If you don’t have a systematic, consistent way of delivering positive feedback, I [...]