Boost your teamwork skills with recognition

Hi there,?

Can you think of a time when someone stopped you - out of the blue - to tell you how well you had done something?

Or maybe they thanked you for making a positive difference in their day??

I’m sure it left a pep in your step. Maybe even more motivated to keep doing more of it...

On the flip side, when contribution goes unnoticed, it can leave us feeling undervalued. Even unsure of where our efforts fit into the big picture.

Recognising people for doing a great job is an essential leadership skill.

But it's not just for leaders.

Recognising others with impact will boost your teamwork skills too.

Why? Because it:

• helps you develop relationships
• sets you apart as a coach and mentor
• builds confidence across the team
• & drives inclusion*

All ingredients of the all-important teamwork skillset (which just so happens to be one of LinkedIn’s most in-demand skills for 2024).

You might associate recognition in the workplace with awards, events or peer-to-peer recognition systems. All of this works really well.

But building recognition into daily habits can be just as effective.?

So how do you do that?

Next time you notice someone doing something well, don’t just think it. Tell them.

Here are some more tips to increase your impact:

Get specific.

Feedback is always better received when it is specific.

?? Pro- tip: If you are hoping to give someone the boost of recognition, see if you can pick out something they might not even be aware of themselves. Like how they present information with clarity or lighten the mood in a team meeting with a well-timed anecdote.

Start small.

Start noticing the smallest triumphs in your team’s day-to-day.

?? Pro- tip: This doesn't always have to be a completed achievement. Calling out a nudge of progress can be really impactful, especially during a tricky project.

Tailor your delivery.

Understanding how each person likes to be recognised shows that you value them as an individual and highlights your sincerity.

?? Pro-tip: Spend just a few minutes reflecting on how you think your colleagues will prefer to receive feedback. Some will value a public shoutout, while others might prefer a handwritten note, a one-on-one conversation or a quick message on Slack.

Try a recognition check-in.

Check-ins are a nice way to bring our personalities into team interactions. But sometimes people find it awkward to reveal something about themselves. A way around this is to encourage the team to notice something about each other instead. It could be a positive contribution to a project or a unique trait that adds value to the team dynamic.

?? Pro-tip: Give your colleagues a day or two to consider one thing they have noticed about another colleague. In a team meeting (or a digital forum if that works better) ask them to complete the sentence ‘This week I noticed... ' with an observation: something that made them stop and think ‘nicely done’. You can use the above tips as guidance (reminding people to be specific & to keep it simple).

So, here's your chance to reflect: take a moment now to think about it - whose efforts will you recognise today? And how?

Bye for now,

Erin

* In a study of over 2000 US Employees - 87% reported a high level of inclusion when they had been recognised at work in the past week. (Study by firms Workforce Intelligence & Achiever - 2021)

This newsletter is part of a series to help you find ways to change your experience of?work?for the?better. Subscribe and you'll find it in your inbox every month.

And if you'd like to check out more ideas about how to make work better, take a look at my courses on LinkedIn Learning here .