Thursday, October 24, 2013

Evaluating Is Like Perfume

"Evaluating is like perfume; a little goes a long way and it's best to apply it in key spots." - Ross MacDonald

The right words and timing matter during evaluation.

Right: "Good job!"
Better: "Good job moving those variables to the other side of the equation!"
Wrong: "You're a genius!"

It's usually better to praise the work than the person in a professional situation.

Right: "We really got away from our plan for the day."
Wrong: "You're really off track right now."

It's often more effective to critique the situation than the person. If it's really the person's responsibility, they either know it already, or they'll never know it.

No comments: