The Role of Specific Praise in Feedback

"Keep up the good work!" "You're doing a great job!" "I really enjoyed your presentation." "You handled that call really well." Unspecific positive feedback is not helpful. How would any of those statements actually help a person grow? How would any of those statements even help a person duplicate what they did? They won't. If someone is doing a great job, tell them how. What specifically did you like about their presentation? What were 3 things they did during the call that made it a success? Why are those things important? Would something have gone wrong had they not done them? Try something like: "You handled that call really well. I like how you set a prep call with me before-hand so we could get on the same page. You facilitated a good discussion and made everyone feel heard, while ensuring we got through the whole agenda. You then circulated clear action items on your own, without my asking you to do it. Because you did that, there's a great chance we can wrap up this project on time." "Great job" might feel a lot better than "Plz revise thx". But it's just as (un)likely to lead to any growth. #management #growth #feedback #development

"Great job" isn't good feedback. I'm guilty of the surface-level praise. One thing I've learned... Everyone leaves surface level feedback conversations feeling unsatisfied. Wanting more. Teams crave real guidance. Here's what I've learned actually works: 1.) Get specific about what happened Instead of: "Great presentation" Try: "Your opening story grabbed everyone's attention. How did you decide on that approach?" 2.) Mix growth with genuine recognition Instead of: "You're doing fine" Try: "Your analysis is thorough. Let's work on presenting it more concisely so the key points land." 3.) Make feedback ongoing, not event-based Instead of: Waiting for formal reviews Try: "What's one thing you want to improve before our next check-in?" 4.) Share your own struggles Instead of: Acting like you've never faced this challenge Try: "I've struggled with this too. What would help you work through it?" 5.) Ask for feedback as much as you give it Instead of: One-way feedback conversations Try: "How can I better support you in hitting your goals this quarter?" Meaningful feedback moves beyond surface-level "good job" conversations. People appreciate when leaders get specific. They stay curious and crave feedback that is tailored and individualized. What would change if your next feedback conversation got specific?

Do you want commitment or compliance? Today’s work environment often lacks depth. Conversations feel surface-level, and true engagement is rare. Too many leaders fall flat on communicating with staying power. Take feedback as an massive example. Like you, I've asked for it. And what I got back was lame. "You are awesome!" "We love you!" "Keep rocking it!" Yeah!!!! What does that even mean? The best cultures use a 5:1 feedback ratio: Five specific,  positive observations  for every corrective one. It’s not “keeping things nice.” It’s about showing your team what works—so they feel relevant. Specific feedback fuels: 1. Trust—when listening goes beyond the surface 2. Engagement—when strengths are reinforced 3. Ownership—when feedback creates a clear path forward 4. Commitment—when employees feel truly valued Your team doesn’t need more direction. They need reinforcement that resonates. Positive, specific feedback gives them a clear picture  of their contributions. Here’s how to do it: Focus feedback on Situation, Behavior and Impact (SBI) 1. Situation: “In yesterday’s team presentation, when we discussed our quarterly goals, 2. Behavior: I noticed you shared specific insights on our new strategy, 3.Impact: which helped clarify our direction and got the team excited to move forward.” 4. Pause: Let them respond and you get to learn. :::Try it immediately::: 1. Connect with 5 team members this week. 2. Use the SBI Method with positive feedback examples. 3. See them light up. See commitment increase. Specific feedback breaks past surface-level conversations. It builds trust, resilience, and genuine commitment. How could a 5:1 feedback ratio impact your team’s engagement? Share in the comments how feedback has affected your career, life. __________________________________ This is your Moment of Choice What are you going to do? Had a great day yesterday teaching new and emerging leaders how to give feedback and coach their people with impact.

My parenting struggles accidentally made me a better manager. Here's the lesson I stumbled upon. Management Tip 6/13: Specific Praise ------ "I love how you... um... ate your breakfast without having a tantrum!" If you have read one of the many parenting books out there, you've likely heard about the value of giving kids specific praise. It's one of the harder things for me to do as a parent— searching for something mundane to celebrate while I'm really just trying to get through the day without incident. ("Great job not causing trouble" doesn't quite cut it.) Yet, like so many things, with practice, I got better at giving them specific praise without feeling like I was constantly stating the obvious. I also learned a valuable leadership challenge: adults need specific praise just as much as kids do. After struggling to remember specific praiseworthy moments during my children's bedtime routine, I started filing these thoughts away in my head throughout the day. I've applied this practice in leading a team. That's the tip: Mentally capture-or write down-specific nuggets of strong performance from your team as they happen and share them. This practice fuels meaningful conversations, recognition, and substantiates performance reviews. Why It Works? Specific praise does what generic positive feedback can't. It: 1️⃣ Shows the path forward. "Your research on competitor pricing was thorough but high level enough to be easily digested by leadership. Your work went directly into the team's battle cards and helped close a deal." provides a clearer roadmap than "nice work." 2️⃣ Builds genuine confidence. Detailed recognition develops self-awareness and assurance based on actual capabilities. 3️⃣ Makes feedback actionable. When praise is precise, people can intentionally reproduce successful behaviors. 4️⃣ Proves you're paying attention. Nothing says "I value you" like noticing the details of someone's work. Because let's be honest—telling someone they "have a positive attitude" is the workplace equivalent of telling your kid they're "such a big helper." While it feels good to hear, neither statement conveys what they really did right or how to do it again. Pictured: My kids having a rare moment of kindness with each other and sharing their ice cream 💕 And yes, I did praise them for it. What specific praise have you received (or shared!) that actually meant something? 

Leaders, if the only time your team hears from you is when something’s wrong... you're not leading, you're lurking. Feedback isn’t a fire alarm, it’s a flashlight. Use it to spotlight what’s working, not just what's broken. The CARE method isn’t just for tough talks. Try this for praise that actually sticks: C – Context: When and where it happened A – Action: What they did R – Result: The impact E – Expectation: Reinforce doing more of it 🧠 Example: In yesterday’s client call (C), you handled objections like a pro (A). It helped seal the deal (R). Keep leading with that confidence, it’s powerful (E). 👏 Quick tip: Recognition feels a lot better when it’s specific. Vague “good jobs” are like weak coffee, technically there, but no one’s impressed.  Why this works: It tells them exactly what they did right and reinforces the behavior you want to see more of, no vague “great job” nonsense. You want your people to repeat their wins just as much as they learn from their misses. So yes, CARE isn’t just for when things hit the fan. It’s for building a high-performance culture, one clear conversation at a time. What’s a recent win you celebrated with your team? Drop it below, we love a brag that helps us all lead better. ____________________ Want help building a culture of consistent, meaningful feedback, not just crisis control? That’s what I do. Let’s turn recognition into results.