Do Your Team Members Feel Valued?

I just took a day long workshop with Michael O. and we went over “PTS” which stands for positive, truthful, and specific. He made it clear to us that if you are a business owner or manager, it’s easy to forget the hard work and sacrifices your workers endure. Many of us don’t compliment our workers enough, and when we do, it needs to mean something.

Walking through your workplace and saying things like “good job”, “I’m loving the work you are doing”, and “thanks for being here” are better than nothing, but that’s about it. Instead, if I walk up to you and say, “John, going out on Friday night after work and delivering those supplies to Frank our customer was something you didn’t have to do, but it just reminded me of how lucky we are to have you on our team. Please thank Jane for me because I know your family also sacrificed by having you home late on Friday night”. That comment is positive, truthful, and specific.

We are often drawn to mistakes, mishaps, and what doesn’t get done which takes away from us recognizing the great things that happen in our companies and who are doing them. Keep this well researched fact on your mind as you walk by your team members each day without acknowledging them: the #1 reason employees leave a company is because they don’t feel valued.

Ask yourself if what you are going to say is positive. Would it make a person feel good? Is it truthful? Are you having to embellish it or did it really happen in its’ entirety? And, is it specific? Don’t generalize so that the person receiving the recognition isn’t exactly sure what it is you are talking about.

Watch for what’s being done right as much or more than watching for what goes wrong.

Ready to take the first steps to becoming a better leader or manager? Consider hosting a manacoach workshop for your team.