Supervisor Foundations · Lesson 3.6

RECOGNIZE GOOD PERFORMANCE

Supervision should not become a system where employees hear from the supervisor only when something goes wrong.

Recognition helps reinforce desired behavior.

Useful recognition is specific.

Poor

VAGUE

“Good job.”

Better

“You handled that complaint calmly, confirmed the customer’s concern before answering and followed up after the issue was resolved. That was excellent service recovery.”

Specific recognition tells employees:

This behavior matters.

Recognition does not always require:

money
awards
public announcements
formal ceremonies

Sometimes sincere, timely acknowledgment is powerful.

WORKPLACE EXAMPLES

EXAMPLE 1 — SCHOOL

BETTER RESPONSE

“Thank you for documenting the parent concern clearly before handing it over. That made follow-up much easier.”

EXAMPLE 2 — RETAIL

BETTER RESPONSE

“You noticed the pricing error before the customer paid and corrected it immediately. Good attention to detail.”

EXAMPLE 3 — HOTEL

BETTER RESPONSE

“You remained calm when the guest became upset and called for support before the situation escalated.”

EXAMPLE 4 — OFFICE

BETTER RESPONSE

“You told me early that the deadline was at risk instead of waiting until it passed. That gave us time to adjust.”

Remember

Recognize the behavior you want repeated.

Workplace action

Identify one employee behavior worth acknowledging this week. Be specific.

Quick Check

Which recognition is most useful?