Leaders who are afraid to acknowledge success lack confidence in their vision. Being impressed doesn’t incent laziness. Leaders gloss over great, looking for greater. They could have said… wow!
- “This idea is amazing! But, I’d better not act impressed, or they won’t strive for more.”
- “Sure the sales of this strategic product are great, BUT they are falling short in other areas.”
- “Their year-over-year results are unprecedented, but there’s another team ahead. I’d better focus them on chasing that rabbit.”
Leaders think, “if I act impressed employees will stop trying.”
Worthy of “Wow”
When was the last time you let out a heartfelt “Wow!”? Not at a sunset. Or at a baby’s first steps. Or after a bite of chocolate cheesecake…. all of which are certainly “wow” worthy. But when did you last “wow” at work?
“Wow … has a reverberation – wowowowowow – and this pulse can soften us, like the electrical massage an acupuncturist directs to your spine or cramped muscle, which feels like a staple gun, but good.”
― Anne Lamott, Help, Thanks, Wow: Three Essential Prayers
Your team is accomplishing small miracles. Someone just trumped their personal best. Or, they worked all night to meet the deadline. Or, finally, the team is helping each other with no hidden agendas.
Look them right in the eye, pause and exclaim “Wow!”
But…
Resist the urge to “wow… but” them..
In a post submitted for tomorrow’s LGL Frontine Festival, Tanveer Naseer, explains “feedback should make you hungry to achieve more.”
“I advised the students to savour this moment and to remember that it was thanks to their hard work, their persistence to overcome the obstacles in their path, and their drive to succeed that they were able to achieve this rare accomplishment… I followed this with a word of encouragement that they wake up the next morning with a renewed sense of hunger to once again push themselves to excel and move forward; to meet the new challenges they’ll face with the same drive and persistence that got them here.”
A good “wow” incents achievement. ”Wowed” feels fantastic. It influences how you “wake up.”
Everyone needs feedback and tips to improve. Coach, respond, inspire. And every now and then, stop at “wow.”
Wow-a-Thons
My team holds regular, “wow-a-thons.” If I promise not to be too disruptive, they let me play along. A cross-functional group of leaders spends the entire day listening to customer interactions. If they hear a rep delighting a customer, they note what they heard and what makes it fantastic. They parade onto the floor to celebrate the fantastic “wow.” No coaching. No buts… just celebration, with specifics. ”When you said______” it really changed the customer experience. Wow. Thank you.”
If something was mildly wrong, they still celebrate, but make a note and find another example to address the concern…later. Wow doesn’t have to be perfect. The celebrating goes all day. Employees are uplifted. Team leaders practice watching for the good. It’s a party. Results sky rocket. No apathy is encouraged in these “wows.”
Tips for a Good “Wow”
- Pick something amazing
- Mean it.
- Explain why
- Be specific
- Say it loud so others can hear
- Vary the recipients (don’t always chose John)
- ?
How do you acknowledge “wow” experiences?
Do you like Let’s Grow Leaders? Please strengthen our community by subscribing, commenting and sharing.
Be sure to stop back tomorrow for the April Frontline Festival: Feedback and Coaching Edition
Despite my best efforts to encourage employees to think, question, and recommend change, on any given day, I know there are people on my team doing tasks they know are stupid.
McDonald’s Corp. 
Subscribe to Let's Grow Leaders
Let's Grow Leaders
