Catch Them Doing It Right

By Guy

This message builds on last week’s discussion, which stemmed from Justin, a manager seeking advice on handling staff who do not respond to feedback. He and his colleagues struggle with employees who seem to ignore their directions. You can read the first message here: When Staff Ignore Your Feedback I.

When direct reports fail to follow instructions, it’s easy to place the blame entirely on them. After all, they were told what to do but didn’t respond accordingly. However, the situation is often more complex. In some cases, it may reflect the manager-staff relationship, which can influence how much effort employees put into meeting expectations. Gallup has shown that almost 70% of employee engagement is directly related to the manager-employee relationship. Whether that relationship should matter is another discussion, but the reality is that Justin and his fellow managers feel incapable to deal with this situation.

To put this challenge into context, a key skill in this profession is recognizing and correcting mistakes. Accuracy is paramount—without it, timeliness and cost, lose significance. As a result, professionals are trained and rewarded for identifying and fixing errors, and promotions often depend on precision.

However, an excessive focus on catching mistakes can be counterproductive, especially in leadership. Managers who almost exclusively highlight errors in review notes, or one-on-one meetings, risk creating a demotivating environment. Annual reviews that emphasize areas for improvement can be discouraging. No matter how tactfully feedback is delivered, employees often hear the underlying message: You’re not good enough.

The goal is to activate the motivation in others to put forth the effort necessary to follow instructions. If your team seems unmotivated or disengaged, start by assessing whether they are receiving enough positive reinforcement. No one gets everything wrong—there’s always something worth recognizing. Instead of focusing solely on mistakes, make it a habit to acknowledge what employees are doing right.

Research shows that people respond well to positive feedback and are more likely to repeat behaviors that are acknowledged as valuable. If you appreciate something, say so. Even if their work is filled with mistakes, find something to recognize: “I really like how you organized the work papers—it made them easy to follow.” This increases the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.

On the other hand, if you remain silent, don’t expect to see the same positive actions again. Without acknowledgment, employees assume their extra effort was wasted and may adopt an attitude of Why bother? It won’t be long before lethargy creeps in, leading to half-hearted efforts.

This doesn’t mean ignoring mistakes or avoiding corrective feedback. It means balancing correction with positive reinforcement to maintain motivation and effort. Managers who catch their staff doing right will build trust with them and they will respond with a greater degree of attention and follow through.