People differ in their opinions about how to recognize employees after a job well done.
But should they? Or does it all come down to a few key elements of strong leadership and communication?
Take Sally. Sally ran Project A from start to finish. She came up with a clear strategy, communicated it to the right stakeholders, got buy-in, managed a tight budget, oversaw fantastic execution from her team, pulled data, analyzed results, drew up stories and themes, ran a debrief to gather feedback and share data, and even constructed a template for ongoing success should they have the bandwidth to continue this project’s deliverables on a recurring basis. She checked in with her boss, Jake, at the major milestones, providing updates at each challenge or achievement. She asked questions where she needed to, got confirmation or approval where necessary, but mainly kept the project running independently. She motivated her team members to do great work, which she reviewed and approved for consistency and alignment, and shared wins with them so they all felt tied to the project’s success.
Needless to say, Sally was a rockstar.
The project ended, and her weekly one-on-one meeting with Jake was approaching. Sally was excited to report back to Jake about all of the project’s successes and to hear Jake praise her and her team’s efforts, tying the success of the project to the company’s revenue and corporate goals. She knew this wasn’t any small matter – it was a major win that would positively impact all departments – and more important, the brand as a whole – as a result.
Sally arrives at her meeting with Jake, ready to reflect on the project and bask in the glory of a job well done. Jake asks if the project is done. Sally says yes and recaps a few high notes.
Jake nods, says, “Great,” and moves on: “Now what about Project B? Have you started that yet?”
Sigh.
Sally leaves the meeting feeling deflated. She didn’t get to share her strategic analysis of the project, which would have shown her ability to think at a higher level and in a more business-driven manner than her peers, but what’s worse is that she didn’t hear the praise from her boss that would have validated all of the stress and energy and hard work the entire process of the project commanded from her. She didn’t hear her boss tell her he appreciated everything that went into the project, even if that appreciation hinged on everything that came out of it. She could deal with that, because she knew the project was successful on its own AND it facilitated better cross-team communication AND its results would drive success in other areas of the business too.
But she never heard all of that from her boss, someone she respected and wanted to impress. Someone with clout. Someone who could vouch for her to their superiors and help her along in her career. Someone whose praise, on its own, meant a lot to her. Was validating to her. Would make her feel it was all worth it.
Instead, she had to drum up internal validation. She had to tell herself all the things she wanted to hear from her boss. But it was harder to do, and harder to believe. She lied to herself before; she would have trusted the opinion of her boss. But she didn’t have that. She had to rely on internal motivation, validation, and appreciation.
Now, here’s where things get tricky. On one hand, Sally doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t tell Jake that she wanted his opinion, or that she thrives on external validation, or that she left feeling deflated. On the other hand, Jake didn’t communicate anything. He clearly doesn’t exhibit leadership qualities, as he doesn’t detect how much things means to Sally nor how much work she put into it, and he doesn’t validate all of the work she did or convey the importance of the project’s impact on the rest of the company. He is only looking for the next shiny object, the next big thing, the next win.
What’s the lesson here?
True, Sally probably could speak up. She could tell Jake how she’s feeling, so at the very least, he knows. Then it will be up to him in the future to give Sally what she needs to feel appreciated in her role.
But it was already up to Jake to do that. Given his role as a leader, the onus is already on Jake to understand how his team members prefer to be motivated as well as recognized, and to tailor his techniques toward each person’s preferences (where possible). As a leader, Jake also needed to read the room more effectively. Maybe Sally excitedly rattled off a bunch of successes, and then maybe her smile faded when they moved onto the next topic on his agenda. That would have given them the opportunity to discuss the project better. But Jake also needs to recognize that when projects are debriefed afterward, and team members reflect on what went well and what could be done better in the future, everyone feels better. Employees feel tied to the company’s success more when they get to voice their opinions about a project once it’s done. Employees will trust that you care about their input. Employees will feel happy that you want to celebrate their success. Employees may even feel more loyal when a leader gives them the floor and listens reflectively to what the employee wants to say. At the very least, celebrating successes does not take away from any other projects and is an easy way to authentically make your team members feel appreciated.
All Jake had to do was ask Sally her thoughts on how the project went, then give his opinion on why the project’s success mattered to the company. A few moments, a few sentences, a few smiles, and that’s it. Everyone leaves happier.
The worst part is that maybe Jake thought these things but never said them. Maybe he left thinking that Sally did a great job. But Sally doesn’t know that, and that’s the most important part. So often we think something but don’t vocalize it, either because we don’t know we should or because we think we don’t have to. But vocalizing our thoughts can make a world of difference to those around us. Maybe Sally eventually looks for another job with a boss who outwardly appreciates his employees. Or worse, maybe Sally doesn’t feel as motivated to go above and beyond anymore and retreats, reverting to doing the bare minimum or less, since she assumes she won’t be recognized for good work anyway.
A little recognition goes a long way. And this isn’t just about closing out a project, or even about telling your employees every day that they’re doing a good job. Of course everyone wants to hear that their work matters in the grand scheme of things and that all their work isn’t going unnoticed. And of course they want to hear it in an authentic, not condescending, way. But the most important part is for leaders to explore what their team members want. Some people don’t want to be called out with a round of applause at the company-wide meeting. Some people do. Some people prefer more pay or a better title or more vacation days. Others want free food or parties or events with coworkers. Listen to what people want, and figure out how best to give it to them, in the most sincere manner. Figure out when projects should be celebrated versus when challenges need to be addressed. Figure out when to listen to someone’s opinion and when to provide your perspective on why their work matters. It’s not about a single project or transaction or period of time. It’s not even about someone’s age or position or gender.
It’s about building trust in your key professional relationships by recognizing others and validating their purpose.
It’s about acknowledging that sometimes the onus is on you to take charge of the moment and communicate your feelings, whether that is for your benefit or the benefit of those around you.
But at the end of the day, it’s about good leadership.
And good leadership starts with you.
