There are moments in life when everything feels right in our world and things fall into place. We accept this and typically think nothing of it. There are other moments when things continually go wrong and mistakes are made. It is more often these moments we typically acknowledge and not necessarily in a way that best supports our brand.
For Instance…
If a team member submits an important piece of work on time things keep moving along. However, if this same team member misses the deadline, it is often addressed in a way that expresses how he/she is putting the project in jeopardy.
Balance is Key
The above example is typical. Positive and negative feedback are both powerful; balancing them makes a big difference in motivating others and achieving results.
Addressing what doesn’t work needs to be done, no question. How it is done is key. On the flip side, it is of great importance to acknowledge what is being done right. The negative feedback you provide (or lack of positive feedback) could be affecting you more than you realize!
Relates to Your Brand
These are some words I’ve heard employees, peers and outside business partners use to describe leaders during confidential conversations: negative, unsupportive, uncaring, disrespectful, and insensitive.
These are NEVER the brand descriptors chosen by the leaders themselves.
When we provide positive feedback to others, even if it is thanking them for completing a basic expectation, it changes how they see themselves AND us!
Research Tells Us
Studies reveal that people perform better, have a higher level of engagement and achieve greater intimacy when there is more positive feedback than negative. It is really that simple.
Marcial Losada’s (Director, Center of Advanced Research, Michigan, USA) 1999 study discovered the magic ratio for high performance is five positive forms of feedback to one negative form of feedback.
Don’t you notice that when you compliment someone or acknowledge something that they did right their energy shifts? They appear more positive, motivated and receptive? Aren't you?
Making a Change
Breaking the cycle of neglecting what works is crucial. Start by simply responding with gratitude for what others contribute. It is through this expression of gratitude – “I appreciate your efforts in submitting your work on time as it is a valuable piece of the project” – that allows for better results.
Constructive and timely feedback when something isn’t right is necessary, though incorporating more positive feedback daily is motivating. The benefit you enjoy is having others willingly extent themselves...priceless!
Here are three quick tips to keep in mind when striving for feedback balance:
- Increase your awareness of how often your comments are negative. Strive to create a ratio of five positive comments to every one negative comment.
- Speak up for what is being done right by expressing appreciation and gratitude. Discover the power of reinforcing good behaviours in both your professional and personal life.
- Share generously and without expectation to produce results beyond what you initially can even imagine.
Incorporating these tips can alter the previous perceptions of negative, unsupportive, uncaring, disrespectful, and insensitive TO caring, compassionate, considerate, positive and empathic. What best reflects your brand?
I’d love for you to share your tips in how you have provided more positive feedback to others.
Align yourself with what matters most to you. Live your brand fully expressed with intention and purpose to play bigger!
Dorothy Lazovik is President of Authentic Leader’s Edge. She is a Personal Brand Strategist, trainer, speaker and coach. Interested in learning more and wanting to connect with Dorothy you can at www.authenticleadersedge.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment