Why “Good Job” Doesn’t Work
A seasoned consultant to North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Michael Alosso met with our staff today to help us continuously improve our communication skills. The lessons we learned help us to be what he calls “You On Your Best Day” . This powerful sense of awareness helps our therapists to be their best every day , a motivating message that we hope to pass on to all the families we work with.
The last time Mr. Alosso presented to our company, I really resonated with one topic in particular. The topic was “TSP”. It is an easy, quick and refreshing guide to giving positive feedback to others. The idea is that phrases such as “good job” are simply not enough and can lack meaning to adults and children alike. When we tell our children “good job”, they need to know why it was a good job. Think about and describe the specifics of what they did that was good, why it was good, how it made you feel, etc. This is what motivates children to repeat that behavior and allow them that boost of confidence. The best way to give feedback that will get the best results is following TSP:
T : Truthful
S : Specific
P : Positive
How to become a TSP giver and positive praiser:
- Look for the good in everything and everyone around you
- Set a small, realistic and finite goal for how many TSP’s you want to give per day/week
- Think of those around you whose entire day might change for the better
How to become a TSP receiver:
- Don’t deny praise from others, always say “thank you”
- Think of the joy someone is sending you and be happy to receive it
- When someone honors you, celebrate it!