One of the most important things you can do to ensure that the feedback you give is accepted and acted upon is to become known for giving positive feedback. Knowing that you are ready to praise people when they do something well reduces the potential to be defensive when they need to improve.

Positive feedback reinforces good behaviour. It helps people motivate themselves and encourages them to continue doing a good job. Praise does not need to be restricted to important tasks – small things done well also deserve praise. Managing a customer complaint well, putting away stock quickly, reorganising part of the dispensary or merchandising a section are everyday tasks that, if done well, deserve praise.

Secondary praise – telling a third person that you think an individual did a good job – can be even more powerful. It can be even more satisfying to be told by someone else that your boss thinks you did a good job. But praise must be deserved: insincerity reduces the value of praise given.