Ask Your Leader to Reach Down With Praise

Heaping praise on a team member who delivers an extraordinary outcome or performance recognizes both the person and the result. Praise tells people what they’re doing right and asks them to do it again. 

The impact praise has when it is reserved for those who truly deserve it is unequaled. When not diluted by a leader who constantly tells everyone they are doing great work, praise is jet fuel that makes team members work harder and smarter. 

Expanding where praise comes from can maximize this influence and have a lasting impact on team members. When leaders higher up in the organization also reach down to acknowledge people and their great work, a good feeling washes over everyone involved.

Leaders and team members pay special attention when more senior leaders take the time to recognize those below them who achieve exceptional results and outcomes. 

But the only way this typically happens is for a team leader to ask. Updating a more senior leader as to what has occurred and who is worthy of a special conversation from them happens when leaders request it. They are often blind to who is doing great work in the organization or who deserves special recognition. Senior leaders depend on others informing them and asking them to pitch in with some timely praise. 

Senior leaders love this request. Getting to tell others how special they are is something all leaders relish. They look forward to serving as a resource to more junior leaders by reaching down and acknowledging good news. But the distance between the work, team members, and their busy schedules gets in the way. They need you to make the request. 

It only takes a few minutes to update a more senior leader about the great work or accomplishment completed by someone on your team. Asking them to engage this person directly with some added praise is an easy do. 

Too often leaders overlook this advantage because they forget just how easy this is or the impact it can have. Making sure team members hear from your leader or those even higher in the organization is your job.