How often does this happen to you?
You’re in the middle of a sentence, or are part of the way through sharing an idea and a colleague interjects, barely letting you finish,
“That was absolutely amazing! Yes! Exactly that!”
“The way you described that was so clear and compelling. You totally persuaded me. That was you at your best!”
“Of all the things you’re working on, I really think that has to be your top priority. It will change everything!”
If you’re like most people, I expect you’ll quietly be thinking, “Well, actually, that hasn’t happened to me in a while.”
And that’s the problem.
Because you are amazing, and you have amazing ideas, and there are times each day, or at minimum each week, when you are at your absolute best and someone around you is there to witness it.
Same with your colleagues, I’d expect.
So why aren’t we interrupted with unbridled enthusiasm more often? Why isn’t it obvious what thing we’ve done recently felt, to those around us, like us at our best?
“Feedback” often feels like a dirty word because it’s interpreted as code for “I’m about to share something that didn’t land quite right with me.”
Now, constructive feedback, delivered with generous intent, and focused on behaviors and impact, is essential.
AND energetic, over-the-top, ludicrous praise….it’s not only easy and fun to deliver with enthusiasm, it also promises to be attention-grabbing and unforgettable.
Plus, lest we forget, for people to feel like they’re hearing and equal quantity of positive and negative feedback, they need to hear five times (five times!) as much positive feedback as constructive feedback.
“That’s just fabulous. Please do more of that.”
It’s music to our ears.
