Edition 34July 7, 2025

Giving Recognition

Recognition - The Fuel Behind Performance

Next-Level SkillsLeadershipRecognitionTeam CultureEngagementPerformance

Welcome back to another edition of Next-Level Skills. Each edition, we explore the human and leadership capabilities that help us navigate work and life more effectively. Skills that move beyond theory and into practical application.

A warm welcome to everyone who has joined our community since the last edition. Whether you've been with us since the beginning or have recently discovered the newsletter or the book, thank you for being part of this journey.

This week, we turn our focus to a deceptively simple yet deeply powerful practice: Giving Recognition.

Recognition is not a gesture of politeness. It’s a performance driver, a culture-shaper, and one of the most effective leadership tools we often underuse.

The Day a Small Thank You Shifted a Whole Team

In one of my earlier leadership roles, I noticed a quiet but consistent contributor on our team who handled back-end reporting like clockwork. She never missed a deadline. But in the rush of larger project milestones, her work often went unnoticed.

One Friday, I took five minutes to thank her publicly during a team huddle, highlighting how her accurate reports enabled faster decision-making. The room paused. She smiled - a rare moment of being seen.

What happened next surprised me. The team energy lifted. Others began thanking one another. That week, collaboration improved.

That moment taught me this: Recognition doesn’t just acknowledge work. It amplifies it.

Why Recognition Is a Strategic Leadership Skill

In high-performance environments, recognition is not fluff. It drives engagement, improves retention, builds trust, and reinforces the behaviours we want to see more of.

Catch people doing something right.
— Ken Blanchard

Recognition is about attention, not reward. It’s about tuning in and reflecting back value. And the most powerful recognition? It’s specific, timely, and sincere.

Let’s explore how to make this a consistent part of how we lead.

Make It Personal and Contextual

Pro Tip: Avoid generic praise. Instead of “Good job,” elaborate specifically say for example, “The way you handled that last-minute change helped us avoid a delay - thank you for stepping up.”

Specificity builds credibility and ensures the feedback is meaningful.

Recognise Effort, Not Just Outcomes

Pro Tip: Acknowledge behaviours like resilience, creativity, or learning from failure. Performance is often shaped by what’s behind the scenes.

When we recognise the process, we encourage perseverance, not just results.

Don’t Wait for Formality

Pro Tip: Spontaneous recognition in the flow of work has often more impact than annual reviews or structured awards. Send a message. Mention it in a meeting.

Timely feedback affirms value when it matters most.

Go Beyond the Manager Lens

Pro Tip: Encourage peer-to-peer recognition. Build systems where teams regularly highlight each other’s contributions.

When recognition is shared across levels, it creates a culture of appreciation rather than hierarchy.

Match the Format to the Personality

Pro Tip: Some prefer public praise. Others value a private note. Tailor the delivery based on how individuals receive appreciation best.

Recognition is about the receiver, not the giver.

Explore the ideas further in the book.

This and other essential skills are covered in Next-Level Skills — the book.

Learn more about the Book →

A Challenge

Try any of these to build recognition into your habits:

🔍

Reflection Questions

You could write one handwritten note or thoughtful email acknowledging someone’s recent effort.+

You could start a team meeting with a moment of peer recognition.+

You could create a space (physical or virtual) for shout-outs within our projects or team channels.+

Recognition is not an event. It’s a leadership rhythm.

Some Final Thoughts...

Giving recognition is not about inflating egos. It’s about reinforcing purpose. When we see and appreciate the people around us, we unlock commitment, creativity, and community.

Appreciation can make a day, even change a life.
— Margaret Cousins

Imagine what it can do for a team, a culture, or a company.

Let’s lead with attention, and let recognition be our multiplier.

Until Next Time,

Abhishek
Founder & CEO, LegiQ | Building Intelligent Edge Hardware

💡Key Takeaway

Recognition is a powerful leadership practice that drives engagement, trust, and performance when done with intention. The most impactful recognition is specific, timely, and sincere, focusing on both effort and outcomes. When leaders and teams consistently acknowledge contributions, it reinforces positive behaviours and strengthens collaboration. Making recognition a daily habit transforms culture and amplifies collective performance.

How can we build micro-recognition into our weekly team rhythm?

What’s one small win we overlooked this week that deserves attention?

Are we waiting too long or too formally to express appreciation?

How does our team prefer to receive appreciation?

What impact would it have if we recognised effort as often as outcomes?

What channels do we use for recognition and could we diversify them?

Are we equating recognition with reward, or with presence and sincerity?

When was the last time we gave someone specific and timely recognition?

What behaviours do we want to reinforce and are we recognising them often enough?

Do we encourage peer recognition or rely solely on top-down praise?