The trainer of the Budweiser Clydesdales uses mostly two methods and the first one brought to mind something as leaders we often don’t do enough of – acknowledging others when they do something right.
The Art of Acknowledgement is key in leading people. When we acknowledge a person we are calling forth what is true about that person. For example – “Excellent presentation this morning Steve. It’s obvious this project is very important to you” or “I see where you worked late last night to finish the proposal Maria. Your commitment and enthusiasm are greatly appreciated.” Notice it’s not just about what they did, but what you see to be true about them or why they did it– they value their work, they are committed, enthusiastic.
An acknowledgement is not just a compliment. A compliment is something you admire about a person and they are easy for people to shrug off – “Nice tie Sam” – “Oh, it’s an old one”; or “Good job Brain”. Typical response might be “It was nothing”.
One of the key things about acknowledgement is that, because it includes a quality or trait the person knows to be true about themselves, it sets the stage for trust. The person you acknowledge relaxes and is then more apt to accept your guidance.
Rick Hansen, author of Hardwiring Happiness, reminds us that our brains have a built in negativity bias. Given any situation we immediately see what is going wrong. It is a normal and natural response. As leaders we must look for and acknowledge what an employee is doing right and then tie it to something you see to be true about them.
Research shows that 89 percent of people are more motivated by being told what they are doing right than by being told what they are doing wrong, and nearly 80 percent looked for this recognition to be given close to the time of the activity. Another study by author and employee-recognition expert, Bob Nelson, showed very similar results and is best summarized by this quote: “You get what you reward.”
So, here’s a quick tip – Like any leadership skill, you must use it often to become proficient. Look for an opportunity to acknowledge at least one person each day. Acknowledge not just the action, but what you see to be true about that person – they are courageous, empowering, supportive, flexible, focused, creative, etc.
Then, observe the response you get from the person. Ultimately it will result in your excelling at the most valuable leadership skill of all – bringing out the greatness in others.
The second method the trainer uses? TREATS! But we’ll save that for another day.
