Most of my clients find it easy to say good things about other people, but more difficult to say good things about themselves at work. Maybe it’s the way we’re brought up, or maybe it’s because people find it difficult to communicate their accomplishments without feeling like they are bragging. Either way, you need to be able to understand what your colleagues value about you, and promote what you do to the people who can benefit.Collecting Credit: Feedback, feedback, feedback
The easiest way to collect credit is to ask for feedback. This isn’t the same as “fishing for compliments”. When I work with clients I make sure they all plan feedback. Like a pilot who doesn't scan the horizon regularly to make sure they are on course, without regular feedback you can be a long way off your target before it becomes obvious.
Two easy ways of collecting feedback: After Action Reviews, (AARs), and Regular Check Ins, (RCIs). An AAR is when you debrief the impact of your significant actions with your key stakeholders. After major projects or new initiatives ask the three key questions: What went well? What were the opportunities for improvement? What should we do next time? You find out not only how you have met your stakeholders’ needs, but also how you can improve for the future.
I have spoken about checking in before, ("Avoiding Just Touching Base"). Nothing is more important than regularly connecting with the people most important to your role and finding out what is important to them. Schedule RCIs with your clients, colleagues and community, and learn how to do them well. Not only can you collect credit for what you’ve done in the past, but you may also uncover what you should be doing in the future.
Sharing credit: Three simple tactics
Once you appreciate how important feedback is for you, you had better get on the bus and provide feedback to others. Let’s just deal here with positive feedback and sharing credit for work well done. It’s a fact that a positive work environment where people speak well of each other is more productive and engages people to contribute their time, talent and trust.
1. “Hit and Run Compliments”. Few things work as well as specific, sincere appreciation. Some people have the unpleasant habit of always being able to find the worst in any situation. They are like hit and run drivers leaving the injured in their wake. You can make a positive difference by delivering “hit and run compliments”. Set yourself a target of one, two or three short, sharp jolts of recognition to the people around you every day, whether by email, voicemail or in person.
2. “Quid pro-mote.” There’s a saying that “what goes around, comes around”. Humans are wired to expect reciprocity: the idea of quid pro quo or you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. Someone has to start the cycle, and it may as well be you. I have noticed repeatedly that when I encourage clients to provide specific, sincere recognition for the people around them they start to attract the same in return. Sometimes what comes back has more of a negative spin at first, (“I know you said you appreciated my contribution to our project, but I wasn’t very happy with what you did”). However, even negative feedback is an opportunity for improvement. Over time you either live up to their expectations or address the underlying issues.
3. “Success Stories.” Every workplace has multiple opportunities for the creation and swapping of stories. Everyone from the CEO to the janitor enjoys the opportunity to get together occasionally and swap stories. Make sure the stories you tell are simple, credible, concrete success stories. Find appropriate outlets and practice sharing good news about what is going on around you.
You benefit, the organization benefits
Many people will tell you their work speaks for itself, or “it’s just not in me to brag”. Promoting what we do is just another part of being receptive to the impact we have on others. We have to be able to gracefully accept recognition if we are going to show we are open to feedback, and we have to be able to share credit if we want to create a positive workplace around us. It doesn’t have to be all about the individual. Everyone is better off in a workplace where collecting and sharing credit is the norm.
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