Quick Question: What would you like to be acknowledged for?
Quick Question
Here is today's quick question for you...What would you like to be acknowledged for?
Ask it when you're...
Kicking off a new project - this is a great way to establish the hopes and aspirations of each team member for themselves and the project outcomes
Onboarding a new team member - allowing a new team member to define the impact they would like to have on your team helps you to understand their motivations and keep them aligned with your purpose
Providing performance feedback - beginning the conversation with this open question allows your team member to share their proudest moments with you. It creates the opportunity for calibration before you jump into your feedback.
Listen for...
When responding to this question, team members will likely tell you more than they realise - by what they say and what they leave out.
Try to listen for:
Outcomes and Approach - are they focused on what they deliver, how they get there or both?
Sense of Ownership - is their acceptance of accountability aligned with your expectations? Do you need to recalibrate this sooner rather than later?
Self-awareness - are they being too hard on themselves? Overly generous to others? How well do they understand the magnitude of their contribution?
This question is a great opportunity to reinforce the role you want recognition to play in your team culture.
Follow up with...
Sometimes, the greatest value comes from the one extra question you take the time to ask.
In this situation, you could try…
Why is <the acknowledgment> important to you?
How would you like to be acknowledged (privately or publicly)?
Whose acknowledgement would you most like to receive?
With special thanks to Megan Flamer, creator of Excited Adults (one of my favourite newsletters), for inspiring this week’s Quick Question.
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