Acknowledgement – A Key Leadership Trait

If you have ever wondered why your manager, colleagues, peers, team, prospects, customers and suppliers never or rarely comment on your work or acknowledge you for the good job you have done, this article will provide you with some insights. In addition, this article will assist you with knowing how to acknowledge others – an important leadership trait for maximising individual and team performance.

Each to Their Own

As you know, people are different and have different ways of relating to other people and situations around them. One of the ways that we relate to people and situations around us is based on how we seek feedback on how we are doing. There are at least three different feedback preferences, and you, your manager, colleagues, peers, team, prospects, customers and suppliers have one of these preferences at an unconscious level.

Some people know that they have done a good job when they receive feedback from other people or they see their results – these people have an external feedback preference. For example, if you wait for a colleague to comment on how you have done before you send out a proposal, you probably have an external feedback preference.

Other people know that they have done a good job and no one needs to tell them, they just know – these people have an internal feedback preference. For example, if you have just finished writing a proposal, you will know inside by how you feel; you will know that you have done it well.

Some people need both types of feedback, external and internal. For example, if you finish writing the proposal, you will know inside by how you feel you did, plus you will also check with your colleague as external feedback.

Acknowledging Yourself and Others

Firstly, acknowledge yourself by being aware of your preference for feedback. Do you get annoyed when you receive well meaning and constant feedback from your manager, colleagues, peers, team, prospects, customers and suppliers as to how you have done? Do you wish they would stop telling you how you are doing because you already have the internal knowing of how you are doing?

Or would you prefer to receive feedback from your manager, colleagues, peers, team, prospects, customers and suppliers so that you know that you are on track and doing well? Do you miss being acknowledged when you do a good job and wish other people would say something? Perhaps you have a balance of both preferences?

Once you are aware of your preference, then observe the preferences of your manager, colleagues, peers, team, prospects, customers and suppliers. Notice how they respond to you when you give them feedback, and notice how they respond to you in the absence of that feedback. After observing their response over several occasions, you will soon realise their preferences. Importantly, you will then know how to respect their personality preferences, which will strengthen your relationship with them and assist them to perform more effectively.

Constructive Feedback

If your manager, colleagues, peers, team, prospects, customers and suppliers have an external feedback preference, you will also want to make sure that when you do give some feedback on how they are doing that the feedback is constructive rather than negative. You want to encourage them to keep doing well, to improve their performance and to grow as a person.

An effective way to offer constructive feedback is to follow these simple steps:

Tell your manager, colleagues, peers, team, prospects, customers and suppliers what they did well (mention several things)
Tell them what they could do differently or better next time to improve (focus on only one of two main things)
Overall, end with a positive statement

Notice the greater engagement you can create with other people by being aware of your and their preferences, and by providing constructive feedback as appropriate. When you relate to others in a way that works for them, you empower them to improve and grow. In turn, you also grow as a true leader.

by Dr. Vesna Grubacevic

Dr. Vesna Grubacevic is an author, speaker, media commentator and the founder and Performance Transformation Expert® with award-winning company, Qt. She is the creator of breakthrough behavioural change techniques, holds a PhD, a BEc and has over 35 years’ business experience, including working directly with CEOs, senior executives and their teams to assist them to create exceptional results. Her Amazon best-selling book, Stop Sabotaging Your Confidence, has also been gifted to Hollywood and Australian award winners, nominees, hosts and celebrities. For additional free resources please visit www.qttransformation.com