Why I Don’t Just Say “Good Job” to My Team?
One of my team members comes barreling over, super stoked about a big win on our product delivery.
We are building a WordPress Plugin for A/B Sales Page Testing.
“Hey, check this out!” they say, practically shoving the new feature they’ve been slaving over in my face. It’s legit impressive—clean design, slick functionality, the works. My gut reaction? I wanna say, “Dude, great job! This is awesome!” I mean, that’s what most bosses would say, right?
But here’s the thing, I try really hard not to go there.
You’re probably wondering why I’d skip the easy “good job” line. Like, what’s wrong with hyping up my team?
So, I gotta ask, what do you think I say instead when someone shows me their latest work? Go on, take a wild guess.
Wait, you don’t think I’d say, “Nah, this is trash, try again,” do you? Kidding, kidding!
Alright, here’s my move: I ask them, “So, what do you think about it?” Yeah, I know, sounds simple, but stick with me. Why do you think I do that? Like, what’s the deal with asking them how they feel about their own work?
Okay, here’s the scoop. When I ask that, it gets them to pause and look inward. They start thinking, “Hold up, how do I feel about this feature? Am I proud of it? Did we nail this delivery?” It’s not about waiting for me to slap a gold star on it; it’s about them reflecting on their own effort. Pretty cool, right?
Now, you might be thinking, “But come on, isn’t it nice to just tell them they crushed it?” Totally get that. Who doesn’t love a little praise? But if I’m always the one saying, “Amazing work! This is the best feature ever!” they might start leaning on my approval to feel good about what they do. Like, “I built this thing, but is it good enough? Does the boss like it? What about the client?”
That’s the trap.
If I keep dishing out the “great job” vibes, I might accidentally turn them into people who are always chasing someone else’s thumbs-up. That’s not what I want for my team. I want them to feel confident in their work because they think it’s solid, not because I said so.
So, when I ask, “What do you think about it?” I’m flipping the whole game. I’m getting them to check in with themselves first. And then, whatever they say, I lean into it. Like, if they’re pumped and go, “I’m so stoked about this feature!” I’ll be like, “That’s awesome, tell me what you love about it!” Or if they’re like, “Eh, it’s alright, could be better,” I might nudge them with, “Oh yeah? What’s bugging you about it?” Either way, it’s about their take, not me playing judge.
I can see you nodding along, but you’re probably wondering, Does this actually work? Like, what if someone just shrugs and mumbles, “I dunno, it’s fine”?
Yeah, it happens! When that does, I usually poke a little, like, “Come on, you spent hours on this, what’s one thing you’re proud of?” And I still let them know I’m impressed, you know? I’m not some cold robot boss, I’ll throw in a “This looks super promising!” or something to keep the vibes high.
This whole approach is about helping my team trust their own gut. It’s not just about getting this one product delivery right, but building a confident crew, owns their work and doesn’t need constant pats on the back to keep going.
Next time you’re giving feedback to your own team, try it out, ask them what they think first. Bet you’ll be surprised by what they say. So, what do you think, gonna steal my line or what?
How’s that feel? I loosened up the tone to make it sound more like a real conversation, less formal, more natural expressions, and questions that feel like something you’d actually hear from a curious friend. I kept the focus on team members and product delivery, and made sure it’s still engaging and informative. If you want any more tweaks or specific changes, just let me know!
