“Great Job” Isn’t Positive Feedback
Most leaders believe that they do a good job providing positive feedback to their team members. But the research tells a different story. One study reported that 63 percent of employees don’t feel recognized at work.
by Janet Ply, PhD · The Practical Leadership Newsletter · January 20, 2026
The Hidden Problem with Positive Feedback
I’ve worked with hundreds of leaders and have heard many of them say things like:
“Great job.”
“Nice work.”
“I appreciate you.”
The problem with this is that it’s really just a compliment, not useful feedback.
Think about a time when your manager gave you positive, but vague, feedback. It probably felt good for a few minutes. But later, did you start to wonder what you did that they liked? You can only guess at what you did that mattered or what you should do again next time.
What does it mean if you hear, “Great job running that meeting.” Did they like the way you prepared? The agenda? How you kept the meeting on track? That you summarized action items at the end? How you answered a curve ball question that could’ve gone sideways? How you asked everyone for their ideas and thoughts?
Why Clear Feedback Matters
I’ve been guilty of vague feedback in the past, and even worse, no feedback when someone went above and beyond. I was so focused on getting work done that I didn’t stop to celebrate successes very often or to tell the hard-working people who got us to the finish line that I appreciated their effort and the sacrifices they made. And if I did, it was like the vague feedback examples above.
At the time, I didn’t know the research showing that employees who get meaningful feedback weekly are more engaged. People want to feel seen, valued, and clear about what success looks like. They work hard and are happier when they get positive feedback.
From Compliments to Useful Feedback
Recognizing a team member’s good work or behavior is not only about making them feel valued and appreciated. It also helps them understand what you want them to continue doing.
Here’s a simple test you can use to measure the feedback you’re giving:
If the person can’t answer the question, “What exactly should I repeat?” you’re just giving a compliment, not useful feedback.
Positive feedback that teaches and reinforces has three parts:
- Name the behavior
- Explain the impact
- Tell them what to keep doing
How This Works in Practice
Instead of saying, “Great job on that presentation,” try this:
“When you simplified the slides and told the client story, it helped the executives really understand the data. Keep using that approach to make complex information easier to follow.”
Instead of saying, “Thanks for being a team player,” say something like this:
“I appreciate that you stepped in to help the team find the error that would’ve made us look bad in front of the client. Please keep looking for ways to help others improve.”
See the difference? One is really just a compliment. The other one reinforces the behaviors you want to see continued.
When other team members hear the positive feedback that you give to a team member, they, too, learn what behaviors are expected of them.
In my workshop, Feedback Success: How to Deliver Clear Feedback and Navidate Difficult Conversations with AI as a Thinking Partner, I guide participants through simple frameworks and AI prompts to help leaders give useful positive and constructive feedback as well as how to have difficult conversations without damaging relationships.
Here are a couple of things you can do right now from the workshop.
1. Catch Them Doing Something Right
The first is to pick one or two people on your team and watch for one thing they do well. Then tell them what they did, why it mattered, and that you’d like to see them continue doing it. Make it authentic - it should not make them feel like they’re getting a participation trophy.
When the leaders who attend my workshops or the ones I coach put this into practice on a regular basis, they are surprised at the positive changes it creates. One leader said this, “Providing positive feedback to team members has completely changed the team dynamics. It’s so easy to do and makes such a huge difference.”
2. Dig Deeper When You Get Vague Feedback
Secondly, when someone gives you vague feedback such as “great job”, ask this question: “What did I do that you liked?” Start training your manager to be specific about how to give helpful feedback.
We can all get better at providing positive feedback. It only takes a minute or two, it’s free, and it makes people feel heard, valued, and understood.
Want More Tips Like This?
If this resonated, you’ll appreciate my latest book, Practical Leadership: A Guide for Building Trust, Getting Results, and Changing Lives. It offers practical tools, frameworks, and processes for the real situations leaders face every day.
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