Soar to Success February 2020

T he trainer of theBudweiser Clydesdales uses mostly two methods and the first one brought to mind something as leaders we often don’t do enough of – acknowledging otherswhentheydosomething right. The Art of Acknowledgement is key in leading people. When we acknowledge a person we are calling forth what is true about that person. For example – “Excellent presentation this morning Steve. It’s obvious this project is very important to you” or “I see where you worked late last night to finish the proposal Maria. Your commitment and enthusiasm are greatly appreciated.” Notice it’s not just about what they did, but what you see to be true about them or why they did it– they value their The Skill Every Leader Needs to Master By Joan Washburn work, they are committed, enthusiastic. An acknowledgement is not just a compliment. A compliment is something you admire about a person and they are easy for people to shrug off – “Nice tie Sam” – “Oh, it’s an old one”; or “Good job Brain”. Typical response might be “It was nothing”. An acknowledgement is not a compliment.