Dear Cindy – Positive Reinforcement Please!

I have a strange problem. One of my staff members is exceptionally hardworking. "Helen" is eager to learn, she picks things up quickly, and she's very efficient. The problem is that she has a constant need for positive reinforcement. If I ask her to do something, she tells me as soon as it's done. And if it was a particularly challenging task, she always has to give me a little summary of how she accomplished it. Helen is like an eager little puppy! What should I do? This has become really annoying. How do I correct this behavior, without dampening her enthusiasm?

Sincerely,

In Praise of Helen

A few years ago, when I was studying for a Bachelor of Education degree, one of my professors told a story about her 18-year-old daughter who was about to graduate from high school. Her daughter and her classmates were devastated when one of the teachers didn't put a "good work" star or smiley-face sticker on their recently graded papers. No, they weren't immature or mentally challenged, they had just become used to this teacher's quirk of putting stickers on good work, and had come to expect it. No star? They must have done poorly!

Maybe you used to give positive reinforcement and stopped, so now Helen is sniffing after it? Maybe you never gave it, and she needs or wants it, so she's actively looking for it?

It's not a good idea to stop giving positive reinforcement, but you can probably stop the summaries. When Helen launches into one, if you can do so delicately, say, "Helen, I trust you! You don't need to report unless I ask."

On the other hand, if Helen is as good as you say, maybe you should put up with everything. And if you can't, send her over to us! You can never have too many quick, hardworking, efficient people around!