If you’re in a senior role, do you ever receive supportive comments from your leader/boss?

[curtainsareclosed]

Was talking to a friend about this last week. If you’re in a senior role at work, do you ever receive praise or a sense you’re doing a good job from your boss or manager?

I’ve been in a director role for 2 years now. The department runs well, we meet our targets and there’s innovation too. I report to the COO but I don’t recall her ever saying anything positive or affirming. Our meet ups are usually an opportunity to talk through blockages or challenges but that’s mostly it. I just assumed this is normal in a senior role - and if they were unhappy, that would have been communicated. I mean, it would be nice to occasionally hear ‘well done’ but I’m not crying in a corner over it.

My friend, who’s in a similar role has a different experience - her boss often sends an encouraging email or something like that.
She really appreciates the affirmation - I think it’s probably quite unusual to have that.

Curious about other people’s experiences?

Yeah I do, but it’s mostly linked with the culture at work generally. It’s widely understood that recognition produces more productivity so it’s definitely shown at all levels of business.

Yes I do, and I appreciate them a lot. I also give them to my team in turn - it only takes a couple of minutes to send an email.

Yes from me too, and I appreciate it, and make sure I also tell my direct reports what they do well.

No, no one ever tells me I am doing a good job!

Yes, and I give compliments and praise too

Yes I do. And I give lots of praise and recognition to my direct reports and wider teams too.
You could ask for feedback on where they feel your strengths and development areas are?

Middle type role. Most of my bosses have consistently said thank you for specific work and been good to deal with, but have rarely given specific, positive feedback.

Often received / receive negative feedback! Some subtle, some not.

Am not well suited to or doing that well in my career, though, and am insecure about it.

DH is in a different field, private sector, first ‘rung’ of senior ladder, often gets both positive and negative feedback, doing well overall. The rating system there is pretty brutal, so people seem to know how they stand.

I give specific, positive feedback to peers and people I manage, and sometimes negative too, usually when people don’t do stuff they’re supposed to 😬

No, and honestly I wouldn't want them. I find work-place supportive type comments quite uncomfortable - even 'great job' emails leave me twitchy (for lack of a better word) as it always feel like false platitudes. I'd much rather have developmental feedback as I want to know how to improve, not how great something I've already done was.

For my team, it's usually a 'good job' type comment in person. But more often followed up by something actually meaningful to them such as extra WFH days, extra TOIL, pushed through bonus, agreement to spend time overseas.

I'm a big believer in actions over words when it comes to giving staff proof they are valued and they're performing well. Anyone can say 'well-done' but actually giving them something valuable in recognition of their efforts is far more meaningful, I think.

Yes. It's great

Yes, C-suite level are excellent at giving praise. And it’s massively appreciated both by me and the team. I’m careful to feed it down when it’s just given to me and my team tell me that they feel better hearing it and knowing that doing their jobs effectively is being noticed.

It’s rare. I have to be pretty resilient. I believe I am appreciated though, there are small signs despite the lack of direct feedback. Plus I’ve had a pay rise every year since I arrived!

It’s interesting because I have never had a compliment or praise from my boss except on one occasion. I was about to present to the Board and he opens up with, ‘I really love working with Curtains. She just gets stuff done and is really pushing ahead in new areas’. I was so shocked that I half wondered if he was speaking about someone else. 😱