“To better the lives of others is one of your life’s greatest rewards.”
—Captain Len Kaine, president, Golden Rule Society
If you had to list five things that are going wrong in your office right now, what would they be? Now, how about five things that are right on track? Stumped?
It’s always easier to find fault than to build up. Master builders devote years to structures that can be destroyed in minutes by vandals and looters. Your people are much the same.
When you honor someone’s contributions in front of their peers in a dignified way, you build people. When you criticize them in front of their peers, you destroy them.
Use recognition liberally and your criticism sparingly. Trust and confidence are built over time and with great care. Recognition moments can help you build solid and valuable relationships.
Take care to reserve sharp comments and criticism for one-on-one meetings. Recognition is public; criticism is private.