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Approach the employee and let them know you'd like to praise them to their management for reasons x, y, and z. Ask them if that would be okay, and if so, can th

Approach the employee and let them know you'd like to praise them to their management for reasons x, y, and z. Ask them if that would be okay, and if so, can they provide relevant contact info. The reason for asking is that the praise that you want to offer may not be in line with their career goals (e.g. if you're praising their management style, decisions, etc but they want to move toward development or support or something). This also gives you an opportunity to communicate the praise directly to them.

ballenf 6y ago
I'd go further and consider just complimenting the person face-to-face and leave it at that. Help them understand their true value and that they should make sure they're not undervaluing themselves in terms of compensation or satisfaction. That level of employee is either already recognized or they have idiots for managers. Praising them to an idiot boss probably just causes them more problems (jealousy for one or some point of praise gets twisted as them not following protocol -- maybe a report was late because they spent "too much" time with customers). If you go ahead, I agree with another commenter who said direct the feedback as high as possible to prevent jealousy or other backfire. I'd agree with the manager approach if the person was so low level that it would be easy for their contribution to be missed.
- romdev 6y ago
  When I'm complimented by a client verbally, I politely give them my manager's email address and ask them to forward that information on. I find that I've gotten a number of compliments that I compile for my yearly performance review. I like my client and my manager, and while it may not affect my compensation (I get regular, small increases), it seems to keep negative micro-management from affecting my day-to-day work, and feeds the cycle of positive feedback that allows me to do interesting work, instead of defending how my hours are spent. I'd encourage positive communication between clients and managers. My dad had a lot of good things to say about his military service. One of them was cultural: tell the guy what he could do better. Tell his superior what he's done well.
jaxx75 6y ago
This is critical. Worse still, they might be trying to not be a squeaky wheel for any number of reasons. Giving them attention from higher-ups might not be so positive in their eyes.

ballenf 6y ago

I'd go further and consider just complimenting the person face-to-face and leave it at that. Help them understand their true value and that they should make sure they're not undervaluing themselves in terms of compensation or satisfaction. That level of employee is either already recognized or they have idiots for managers. Praising them to an idiot boss probably just causes them more problems (jealousy for one or some point of praise gets twisted as them not following protocol -- maybe a report was late because they spent "too much" time with customers). If you go ahead, I agree with another commenter who said direct the feedback as high as possible to prevent jealousy or other backfire. I'd agree with the manager approach if the person was so low level that it would be easy for their contribution to be missed.

romdev 6y ago
When I'm complimented by a client verbally, I politely give them my manager's email address and ask them to forward that information on. I find that I've gotten a number of compliments that I compile for my yearly performance review. I like my client and my manager, and while it may not affect my compensation (I get regular, small increases), it seems to keep negative micro-management from affecting my day-to-day work, and feeds the cycle of positive feedback that allows me to do interesting work, instead of defending how my hours are spent. I'd encourage positive communication between clients and managers. My dad had a lot of good things to say about his military service. One of them was cultural: tell the guy what he could do better. Tell his superior what he's done well.

jaxx75 6y ago

This is critical. Worse still, they might be trying to not be a squeaky wheel for any number of reasons. Giving them attention from higher-ups might not be so positive in their eyes.