Make Recognition Feel Personal, Not Performative

What helps recognition feel meaningful to the person receiving it?

I think of it as a well-fitted frame: make the contribution visible, while leaving room for the person to choose how it is shared.

Imagine a teammate improves a handoff process. Instead of a broad “Great work” in a team meeting, a manager could name the specific contribution and its impact, then ask whether the person is comfortable with public recognition or would prefer a private note.

The practical takeaway: be specific about what mattered, and ask how the person wants it acknowledged.