Next-to, Next-to Last
This year was the first year of track and field for our 15-year-old son. In fact, it was the first year of ANY sport for him since he played t-ball at 6 years old. At the beginning of the season, he consistently finished dead last in all of his races. It would have been easy to give up, or to “go through the motions” the rest of the season.
But, that isn’t the approach and mindset he chose. Every practice and every meet, he kept practicing, running, and working hard. Little by little, we began seeing improvements. The first time he finished next-to-last, we celebrated and cheered wildly. Then, last week, he finished in front of not just one, but two runners in his metaphorical rearview mirror. After the race, he ran over to us with a huge smile on his face and said, “Did you see that? I was next-to, next-to last!”
We’ve never been prouder of him.
Many others-perhaps even other runners on his own team-might not see this as a win. Continuing to finish in the back of the pack is not where most people strive to be. However, to our typically unathletic son, this was a moment to cherish.
How often do we see (and celebrate) this dynamic in the workplace? Do we see organizations set the exact same job measures across the board, or do we see teams set goals by first identifying the unique strengths, talents, and starting points of each and every person? Often, our employees that work the hardest may not be the ones that are considered top performers. The truth is, like in sports, people come to jobs from different skills sets and starting points.
For those employees that are being compared and measured against goals that are not aligned with their skill sets and starting points, it can be frustrating to know that even though they are putting in more effort, by the company standards, they are not considered as “good” as others. In fact, these employees frequently find themselves on the receiving end of more negative feedback and criticism than their peers. While that feedback may be given with the noblest and most positive intentions, we forget that we also need to recognize and celebrate people’s growth as it happens.
Positive feedback boosts confidence. Everybody likes to feel appreciated, valued and important. Offering positive feedback recognizes an individual's efforts and accomplishments. This acknowledgment can lead to a positive shift in the individual's mindset, which in turn can improve performance and motivation.
Positive feedback, Gallup found, “is like espresso: uplifting and invigorating. Specific and timely recognition reinforces an employee's belief in their own abilities and skills and motivates them to tackle even more difficult tasks.”
What keeps our son engaged in track all year? It’s the family and coaches that know to celebrate his wins, on his level, while also helping him improve along the way. While some people are striving to shave fractions of a second off of their already speedy pace, others are just hoping to be next-to, next-to last again. Let’s celebrate both because the race to big wins is filled with little wins all along the way.
