Catch People Doing Something Right

Cathie Leimbach • June 21, 2021

Years ago, Ken Blanchard pointed out that “People who feel good about themselves produce good results, and people who produce good results feel good about themselves.”  Unfortunately, too many work environments are focused on catching people making mistakes to point out where they need to improve performance. However, catching them doing something right and praising them will yield a quicker and more beneficial result.


Positive feedback is more than a way to improve performance. It is a powerful tool for employees to feel:

·        more confident, which helps them to do a better job

·        motivated, encouraging them to repeat the effective behavior frequently

·        appreciated, leading to more motivation and engagement

·        supported, leading to better working relationships and higher retention.


Helpful feedback is specific to the individual and the situation. There are some general guidelines in preparing feedback for your employee:

·        whenever possible, link positive behavior to business results

·        deliver the feedback as close in time to the event as possible

·        provide positive feedback in front of others if you think they can benefit from it

·        be specific and as detailed as possible to help the employee repeat the positive performance

·        avoid giving positive feedback for trivial reasons


Provide feedback regularly so that your employees always know where they stand instead of waiting for a formal performance review.


It’s not just about saying “good job.” That can come across as vague and maybe even insincere. Instead, it is better to adopt a what/why approach – what did the person do that was impressive, and why was it effective. This technique helps the employee to understand how to continue performing well. Here are some specific examples:


An employee puts forth extra effort to serve a customer with a positive attitude.

“Thank you for putting in the extra effort during this busy time at work. I understand that working that hard isn’t always easy, but our customers and your team appreciate it. You are a valuable member of the team.”


An employee contributes to meetings by sharing new ideas and insights that are helpful to the team. 

“Thank you for being prepared for our meetings. By coming to each meeting with well-researched and thought-out ideas, you’re helping us move forward in our process.”


An employee is submitting high-quality work on time and with attention to the details.

“Your work looks great! It is clear you care about your work and take the time to do it correctly. I especially liked your attention to detail in the analysis and am excited to see what you do next.”


An employee lacks confidence lately. Show him what he is good at.

“You have been doing a great job lately. You are so talented at staying flexible on any project, which helps everyone on the team. You have grown so much in your role since starting here. Thank you for your hard work and let me know if there is anything I can do to make working here better.


An employee finishes a difficult assignment that she hasn’t done before, maintaining a positive attitude and working hard.

“I am pleased with your determination to finish this project. I know it wasn’t easy, but I knew you could do it. Thank you for your extra effort.”


Catching people doing something right and telling them you noticed helps your team feel motivated and engaged in their work, as well as understanding your company’s standards. Provide employees with specific feedback rather than a generic thank you.  Your employees want to know what is working and where they excel. 

What Changes When People Actually Feel Engaged?

By Cathie Leimbach • April 7, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care. They struggle because engagement feels hard to influence. But when people are engaged, the impact is hard to ignore: 18% higher sales 23% higher profitability 70% higher wellbeing These differences come from comparing the 25% of organizations with the strongest employee engagement to those in the bottom 25% (Gallup). And the stakes are bigger than most realize— disengaged employees cost U.S. organizations nearly $2 trillion in lost productivity each year (Gallup). This isn’t about perks or programs. It’s about how people are led every day. Engaged teams are clearer on expectations. They feel supported. They know their work matters. And most importantly—those conditions don’t happen by accident. They’re created in conversations: Clarifying priorities Reinforcing what good looks like Checking for understanding Following through consistently Small leadership habits drive big business outcomes. A question to consider: Where could stronger day-to-day leadership conversations improve results in your team? 👉 Join our next 60-minute Leadership Conversation: Inspiring High Performance — Monday, April 13 th at 3:00 PM ET (this is not a webinar) It’s a small-group discussion with other leaders looking at a simple question: What’s actually driving engagement—and what’s quietly holding it back? If a shift in leadership could impact sales, profitability, and wellbeing… it’s worth exploring what that might look like in your world.

4 Leadership Behaviors That Drive Trust, Performance, and Accountability

By Cathie Leimbach • March 31, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they lack knowledge. They struggle because leadership opportunities show up in daily conversations —and those moments are easy to miss. The difference between average and high-performing teams often comes down to four leadership behaviors: 1. Build Trust Through Everyday Conversations Trust is built in small moments. Listen to concerns Ask thoughtful questions Follow through Address issues quickly and respectfully 🤝 Trust grows through consistent, everyday conversations. 2. Reinforce What Good Looks Like People repeat what gets recognized. Be specific: “I appreciated how you handled that client issue quickly—that made a difference.” 🔒 Clarity + recognition = stronger performance. 3. Address Problems Early—Kindly and Clearly Avoiding issues creates bigger ones. Keep it simple: What was expected? What happened? What needs to change? 👥 Clear, timely conversations reduce drama and improve results. 4. Support People So They Can Succeed Your role is to help your team succeed. Clarify priorities Remove obstacles Provide resources Coach progress 🔍 When people have clarity and support, performance follows. The Real Lever: Conversations None of this requires new systems. It happens in everyday interactions— 1:1s, quick check-ins, and follow-ups. Better conversations → better results. Quick Reflection Which one would make the biggest difference for you right now? Build trust Reinforce performance Address problems early Support success 👉 Join our next 60-minute Leadership Conversation – Inspiring Employee Performance on Monday, April 6, at 3:00 pm ET. Not a webinar. A working session with other leaders looking at what’s actually happening on their teams—and how small shifts in daily conversations change performance fast. If you're curious what even a 10% shift in consistency could look like for your team… this is a good place to start.