I came across this great article highlighting Gentle Giant Moving Company and their founders philosophy on giving feedback and coaching employees. Not only does Larry O’Toole, president, get what it takes to build a successful organization, but he understands the importance of guiding employees and teaching them to live the values of the company. My plan was to summarize the article but there are so many great points that I just can’t do it justice. Take a few minutes and read it for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.

There’s one point that I do want to touch on though. When asked what the biggest mistake leaders make in reference to giving feedback, Larry responded, “The biggest mistake is not giving it at all”. I think he nailed it.

A lack of recognition, positive or negative, leads employees to wonder where they stand. They start to get paranoid and second guess if they’re doing things right. They think back to the very last negative interaction they had with their boss and wonder if the lack of feedback means they weren’t able to make things better. It might not make sense to managers, but it’s just human nature to assume the worst.

Take Larry’s advice and make sure you’re constantly giving feedback to your employees. A little recognition can go a long way.

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