The opinions expressed by Entrepreneur members are their own.
Great leaders of high-performing teams recognize the most important component of team building: the recognition of others. Giving people the recognition they deserve will not only elevate the culture of the team, but it will also increase the performance and productivity of the team. It’s as simple as it sounds, but it’s not always easy to incorporate this practice into your daily habits and activities when you’re working with your team.
You’ve probably experienced this in your own career – people are quick to notice when you fall short of expectations, but they don’t always notice that you’re doing a good job and dedicating time and effort to your responsibilities. This is discouraging and also reduces your own motivation to work harder and prove yourself. If you learn how to verbally encourage your team, it will increase the level of your business.
On the subject: 5 fantastic ways to show your team members that you are grateful to them
How to make confession a part of your daily life
Sometimes it’s hard to focus on uplifting others when we’re so driven by individuality. We want the recognition we deserve, and sometimes we prioritize that over the praise of others.
Skillful leaders have learned to put aside their unquenchable thirst for recognition and recognition because they are in the mood for the long game. They see the big picture and that overall success depends on other team members who are motivated, dedicated and invested in the team just like you are. But how do we get into that mindset of constantly inspiring others if we haven’t already done so?
- Be an active listener. Focus on your conversations and the conversations of others. What are they proud of? What worries them? What problems did they spend trying to figure out how to solve? What complex clients or projects are they working on? As an active listener, you will have countless opportunities throughout the day to hear about the successes of your team members throughout the day and highlight their victories, no matter how big or small.
- Be specific in your words. While we all like to hear “good job”, the compliment may seem meaningless and generic. If someone caught a bug on a client project or prepared a detailed presentation for your team, be specific in your praise. This requires not only honesty in your words, but also practice. Identify specific tactics or creative thoughts they had throughout the process and highlight well-defined reasons that contributed to their work. They will feel that they have been noticed and they will know that your words are genuine.
- Focus on what they are good at before focusing on what they lack. If someone on your team is underperforming, it’s easy to pay attention to tasks they can’t complete. Before criticizing them or giving immediate Feedback about how they can improve, first focus on what they do or are good at, even if the tasks are small or part of their expected responsibilities. Boost their self-esteem with what they do well, and that boost in self-confidence can spread to areas where they fail. When people feel like their strengths are being brought to the fore instead of their weaknesses, they feel more confident to move on to more challenging tasks.
On the subject: 9 Simple Techniques Any Manager Can Use to Express Appreciation to Employees
How recognition helps you and your team
We’ve been taught to lift the spirits of others our entire lives, from classroom activities as children, or even on sports teams and other activities as we grew up, but it can be hard to recognize the quantifiable ways words of recognition help boost your business’s productivity and profits. . Spreading recognition can help you and your team in a variety of ways:
- It increases employee retention. Apart from all other factors, if someone has a choice between staying in a workplace where they are constantly encouraged and recognized, or staying where their success is rarely recognized, they will stay in a workplace of recognition every time. . Employees want to stay in a team where they are supported, heard and seen. Reaching out to team members about their victories can also give them the courage to speak up if they need more help, or even admit their mistake and take corrective action to correct it, avoiding more serious problems or financial loss in the future.
- It improves your teamwork and collaboration. Creating a business culture based on mutual encouragement and highlighting each other’s strengths will improve interpersonal relationships within the team. Each team member feels supported by the other, which enhances teamwork and collaboration among everyone. Employees are more engaged and willing to go further and further if they feel that the organization recognizes their value and celebrates their growth.
- Recognizing others, they recognize you. Fill other people’s cups and they will fill yours. Recognition is no exception to the law of reciprocity – when you acknowledge that others are doing well, they will do the same for you. Most likely, they will probably start doing this with other team members as well. Encouraging words are easier to say when you get them regularly, but sometimes you need to be the one to start the cycle. When others cheer you on and talk about your victories, they may testify to your ability later in the future, whether you land a new client or move to a higher-paying position.
Subject: Where is the love? Why you should work on incorporating gratitude into your company culture
All great things are built by close-knit teams; nothing destroys a team faster than those who want to be credited for everything. Reward people for what they do instead of pointing out what they don’t, and they will do the same for you. You must do this first and do it consistently to create a winning environment for your business. By emphasizing the abilities of others, you will create a culture of acceptance in which everyone participates, leading to greater productivity and success.