The Leadership Habit We Don't Practice Enough: Recognition

Most leaders know recognition is important but few actually take the time to do it well.

We get busy. We move from one problem to the next. We notice someone does a great job and think to ourselves " I need to tell them that", and then the day gets away from us.

The good news is that recognition shouldn't be complicated. It doesn't need to be a reward or big public announcement. Sometimes, simply saying "I noticed how you handled that situation. You stayed calm, identified a solution, and took care of the person. Thank you." That's much more effective than "Great job!"

But the other important aspect of recognition is that it needs to be genuine. Recognizing someone for every routine task can actually have the opposite effect. If you are constantly thanking someone for simply doing the basics, it can start feeling forced or ingenuine. Instead, look for the moments that stand out. Times when someone went above and beyond, took ownership of something, or handled a difficult situation well.

That's also why being specific matters. When you tell someone exactly what they did well and why it mattered, the message feels more genuine and it reinforces the behavior you want to see more of. You're not just saying "good job". You're helping them understand that what they did made a difference.

What we recognize, we reinforce.

Leadership Action:

This week, when you observe someone doing something well...tell them. Be specific with what you noticed and share why it matters.

Sometimes the simplest leadership habits have the biggest impact .