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. 

Same Conversation, Different Expectations: Why One-on-Ones Need a Clear Close

By Cathie Leimbach • September 29, 2026
Jason left his one-on-one feeling encouraged. His supervisor, Ellen, had listened as he described competing deadlines and his interest in becoming a team leader. They talked about the possibility of shifting some of his workload. Ellen also suggested that training might help him prepare for a leadership role. "Let's work on that," she said. Jason thought help was coming. Ellen thought Jason would bring her a plan. Two weeks later, the deadlines were closer. Nothing had been reassigned. Neither had looked into training. During their next one-on-one, Ellen asked how things were going. "I'm still waiting to hear which project you want me to focus on," Jason said. "I thought we agreed that you would work that out." "And the leadership training?" "Did you find a course?" Jason paused. "I thought you were going to recommend one." They had discussed the same topics. They had left with different expectations. Neither intended to let the other down. But they hadn't agreed on who would do what, or when. Turn a Good Conversation into Clear Next Steps Listening matters. So does what happens after you listen. Before you end your next one-on-one, take a few minutes to make sure you and your employee understand what comes next. Talk about priorities. If everything can't be done at once, agree on what comes first. Ask what might get in the way, and what support would help. Make room for professional growth, too. What does the employee want to learn? What responsibility would they like to prepare for? Identify a step you can each take to move that development forward. Then write down your agreements. Keep the notes simple: what needs to happen, who will do it, and by when. Include your own commitments. Putting It Into Practice Ellen and Jason tried again. "The client proposal comes first," Ellen said. "I'll talk with Marcus today about taking over the weekly report. By Friday, I'll let you know whether he can." "I'll find two leadership courses before our next meeting," Jason said. "Then we can talk about which one fits." Both Jason and Ellen knew what to do next. The following week, both reported their findings and they made decisions on how to move forward. Jason’s work became more aligned with Ellen’s departmental goals. Jason felt valued and appreciated. Their weekly one-to-ones became the backbone of their workplace success. Want to Make Your Workplace Conversations More Productive? Join us for the Workplace Conversations Clinic on October 19 . Bring a conversation you want to handle more effectively, and let's work on making the next steps clear. Register Here

Want High-Performing Employees? Make Expectations Clear During One-on-Ones

By Cathie Leimbach • September 29, 2026
Sally appreciated that her supervisor made time for weekly one-on-ones. It made her feel valued. But after 18 months with Emerald Corp, something was missing. She rarely received feedback. Her supervisor didn’t tell her what she was doing especially well—or where she needed to improve. And although the company had promised continuing education when she was hired, no development opportunities had materialized. Sally loved learning. Several next-level positions interested her, but she knew she needed additional knowledge and skills. Meanwhile, two college classmates working in other departments had already been promoted. She was a fast learner. She was getting bored. And she was beginning to wonder whether she had a future at Emerald. So Sally started applying elsewhere. During Monday’s one-on-one, she asked her supervisor whether he would serve as a reference. He was stunned. “You’re doing well,” he said. “There are lots of opportunities for you here.” Sally asked whether he would support her applying for an internal position. “Well, you’re doing fairly well,” he replied, “but there are several things you could be doing better. You’d also need more experience or training before you’d be ready for the next level.” Sally was confused. “What should I be doing better?” Her supervisor mentioned a few areas for improvement. “Why haven’t you told me this before?” Sally asked. “No news is good news,” he replied. “You’re certainly not at risk of losing your job.” “But you’re telling me I’m not ready for a promotion. How am I supposed to improve if I don’t know what you expect?” Her supervisor assumed Sally would figure it out over time. Sally had assumed she was already meeting expectations. Both assumptions were costly. Within days, Sally had two interviews with other companies. One-on-Ones Should Help Employees Succeed Employees shouldn’t have to guess what high performance looks like. One-on-ones are an opportunity to make expectations clear and help employees become more successful. Talk about what they are doing well. Be specific about where improvement is needed. Ask about their challenges, interests, and future goals. Then provide the coaching, training, and support that can help them succeed. Don’t wait until an employee asks for a reference to talk about their future. Ask before you assume. Conversation is where leadership happens™ Want to Make Your Workplace Conversations More Productive? Join us for the Workplace Conversations Clinic on October 19 . Bring a conversation you want to handle more effectively, and let's work on making the next steps clear. Register HERE