The importance of acknowledgement
Acknowledgement is a powerful motivator. When people feel genuinely appreciated, they’re more likely to sustain and even elevate their performance. Most leaders know this, yet in the busyness of day-to-day demands, it’s often overlooked. Some even express concern around the common misconception that too much praise will somehow diminish its impact.
The key to effective acknowledgement is authenticity. Praise only loses its power when it lacks sincerity or mutual respect. For recognition to land, it must feel real, earned, and genuine.
But here’s the challenge: our brains are evolutionarily wired to notice problems more readily than progress. This can make it difficult for us to see the full range of opportunities for acknowledgement that are present in daily life. Unless we consciously train ourselves to notice and name success, we risk missing valuable moments to reinforce positive behaviour and build trust.
Watch this 4-minute video on ACP’s philosophy of acknowledgement and how to apply the Losada Ratio in leadership.
Why is it that we forget to acknowledge?
Negativity Bias
The human brain is thousands of years old, shaped in an era where survival meant constant threats from predators, harsh weather, disease, and hostile groups. To keep us safe, the brain evolved a negativity bias; a built-in mental shortcut that makes us far more sensitive to negative stimuli than positive ones. In fact, we’re about five times more likely to notice threats or problems than things that are going well. While this bias once ensured our survival, today it can lead to a pessimistic or overly critical workplace culture if left unchecked.
Research shows that flourishing individuals typically experience at least three positive emotions for every one negative emotion. Yet even they can struggle to notice the good in real time because of this hardwired bias.
As leaders, it’s essential to actively counter this tendency by intentionally creating positive emotional experiences each day. Doing so helps build a culture that is not only more resilient and optimistic, but also more engaged and high performing.
Losada Ratio
The Losada Ratio is a concept from positive psychology that suggests there is an optimal balance between positive and negative interactions required to support high-functioning teams and relationships.
Psychologist Marcial Losada introduced the concept in 1999, observing that high-performing teams consistently demonstrated a higher ratio of positive to negative interactions. The ratio is calculated by dividing the number of positive interactions by the number of negative interactions over a set period.
The Losada Ratio offers a more evidence-based alternative to traditional feedback models like the “feedback sandwich” by focusing on maintaining a positive emotional climate, rather than simply softening criticism.
Why the feedback sandwich is flawed.
The feedback sandwich is a common approach where praise is used to cushion criticism. It is essentially delivered as praise, critique, praise. The idea is that the “bread” (positive comments) makes the “meat” (constructive feedback) easier to digest.
For example:
“I really liked how you interacted with the team in that meeting, and the examples you gave were helpful. However, you missed some key information about our quality assurance process. But your introduction was strong and really helped capture everyone’s attention!”
While well-intentioned, this approach has its drawbacks. The constructive message can get lost between the praise, or the praise itself can feel forced or insincere, leaving the recipient feeling confused or manipulated. Rather than burying criticism in praise, a more effective strategy is to build strong relationships with your people based on trust and respect outside of feedback conversations.
When psychological safety is strong, you can offer direct, respectful, and candid feedback that will still land.
This is where the Losada Ratio offers a helpful alternative. Instead of softening criticism with scripted praise, focus on consistently cultivating positive interactions in everyday leadership moments. Over time, this creates the emotional balance and trust that allows for open, effective feedback when it’s needed.
The recommended ratio is often cited as 3:1 or higher, meaning that for every critical or challenging interaction, there should be at least three positive, appreciative, or supportive ones. While 3:1 has generally been accepted as sufficient for workplace teams, research by the Gottman Institute revealed some interesting insights that challenged the original ratio.
Gottman Institute Research: The Power of Positive Interaction
Research from the Gottman Institute, that was originally focused on relationships, and later applied to workplace dynamics, found that in top-performing management teams, the single strongest predictor of organisational performance was the ratio of positive to negative communication. In fact, it was more than twice as powerful as any other factor.
The optimal ratio they found was around 5.6 to 1. That is, roughly five positive interactions for every one negative or corrective one.
While there is still debate about the precise number, the principle holds true:
To perform at our best individually, in teams, and across organisations—we need to engage in significantly more positive interactions than negative ones.
Acknowledgement (the “5”) can be as simple as a compliment, a thank you, offering a resource, a smile, a validation of emotion, a check in ‘just because’, a thumbs up, recognising effort in a meaningful way or even just pointing out someone’s admirable qualities more broadly.
Constructive feedback (the “1”) might include a suggestion for improvement, a prompt to stay on track, or calmly expressing when someone’s words or actions have caused harm or concern.
Balancing these elements isn’t about avoiding hard conversations, it’s about building enough trust, respect, and goodwill that feedback can be heard, growth can occur, and relationships remain strong.
It’s important to note that the ratio is not 5:0, the 1 matters too. Constructive feedback is essential for growth, accountability, and continuous improvement. Organisations that avoid or withhold constructive feedback risk fostering complacency, stagnation, and unclear expectations. The goal isn’t to eliminate correction, but to ensure it happens within a culture rich in acknowledgment, trust, and psychological safety.
Remember, the goal isn’t perfection, it’s awareness and intentionality.
How is your current ratio looking?
Take a moment to reflect on your recent interactions with your team, peers and at home. Are you offering more positive reinforcement than correction? Are you creating an environment where people feel seen, valued, and safe to grow?
Activity: The 24-hour Feedback Tracker
The purpose of this activity is to help you become more aware of the balance between positive reinforcement (acknowledgement) and constructive feedback (criticism) in your interactions—particularly with one person you lead or work closely with.
- Choose one person you’ve interacted with in the last 24 hours. This could be a team member, peer, or direct report.
- Reflect back on every meaningful interaction you had with them—face-to-face, via email, chat, phone, or meetings.
- Tally the number of acknowledgements vs criticisms.
- Acknowledgements include any genuine expression of appreciation, encouragement, praise, or positive reinforcement.
- Criticisms include corrective feedback, negative comments, micro-frustrations (tone, body language), or pointing out mistakes.
- Review your ratio.
Ask yourself:- Was the overall tone of my interactions positive or negative?
- Did I intentionally acknowledge effort or outcomes—or was I more focused on what went wrong?
- How might this balance have impacted this person’s motivation or confidence?
Reflection Questions
Remember, it’s just a number
Don’t get caught up in achieving a perfect 5:1 ratio. If five positive interactions for every one piece of constructive feedback feels like a stretch, start small and aim to genuinely praise more often than you criticise. Also remember that acknowledgement isn’t one-size-fits-all. People have different needs based on their values and personalities. Some may feel uncomfortable with frequent praise, while others may need it more regularly to feel seen and motivated. The key is to make it authentic, thoughtful, and tailored to the individual.
The real goal here isn’t the number, it’s shifting your attention toward what’s going well and creating a foundation where feedback can be received, not resisted.
What about underperformers?
A common concern we hear from leaders goes something like this:
“I hate to say this but, there are people on my team I honestly can’t think of one thing to praise—let alone five.”
If that feels true for you, you’re not alone. But it’s also a sign to pause and consider how your mental framing could be contributing to this dilemma.
Remember the lessons on The Limitations of the Brain and Framing. We are naturally wired with a confirmation bias and tend to look for and notice what confirms the beliefs we already hold, rather than evidence that challenges them. If you’ve framed someone as underperforming or difficult, your brain will continue to subconsciously scan for confirmatory evidence of that and filter out anything positive.
To shift the frame, think back to the lesson on Reframing and try asking yourself:
| Curious Question | How it redirects your attention |
|---|---|
| What strengths does this person hold outside of work? | Encourages leaders to see the person holistically, beyond just their job performance, unlocking respect and empathy. |
| What is a personal strength or quality this person demonstrates? | Shifts focus from tasks to character traits (e.g. resilience, kindness, perseverance), which are often overlooked but deeply valuable to team dynamics. |
| If this person walked out the door today, how much heavier would the team’s workload become—and how much disruption would it cause to your workflow? | Highlights the practical value of the person’s contributions, especially those that may have become invisible or underappreciated. |
| What would the team genuinely miss if they were gone? | Brings attention to the person’s relational or cultural impact, such as morale-boosting energy, humour, or peer support. |
| What are some environmental reasons for their current performance that don’t relate to their character? | Separates context from capability, helping leaders avoid blame and instead look at systems, support, or barriers that may be influencing behaviour. |
| What untapped potential might they have, and how could I support it? | Moves the leader from judgement to possibility thinking, opening space for growth, coaching, and renewed investment in the individual. |
| What did it feel like when my own efforts went unacknowledged by a leader? | Builds empathy by encouraging leaders to connect with their own experiences, making it easier to recognise the importance of affirmation for others. |
| What is one positive thing they did today, and did I acknowledge it authentically? | Grounds the reflection in immediate, observable behaviour, reinforcing the habit of noticing and reinforcing positive action in real time |
With consistent attention and genuine curiosity, your brain will start to notice more opportunities to acknowledge and support growth—even in those who challenge you most. This isn’t about ignoring performance issues; it’s about creating the ideal conditions for improvement. People often live up to the expectations placed on them (see Growth Mindset for more). By recognising what’s working first, you shift the focus from criticism to potential and give others the best chance to grow.
Termination is not a failure
To be clear, this concept is not about tolerating long-term underperformance or avoiding difficult decisions. Accountability is essential. What we are suggesting is that before making the decision to terminate someone’s employment, take a moment to check in with your own integrity and leadership values. Ask yourself:
“If I were to let this person go tomorrow, could I honestly say I did everything in my power to support their success?”
If the answer is yes, then sometimes the reality is that we simply don’t have the right person-role-culture fit. In those cases, supporting someone to move on to a role or environment where they can thrive, might actually be the greatest gift you can give them. But before you get to that point, we encourage you to try this acknowledgement strategy. You might be surprised by the shift it creates—for them, and for you.
Reflective Questions
- What are some of the frames (attitudes) you have around giving praise?
- What are some of the frames (attitudes) you have around constructive feedback?
- What contributes to you feeling uncomfortable in these conversations?
- What are the strengths you bring to giving feedback?
- What is your current positive:negative ratio with the key people in your team/life?
- For those with a lower ratio, how might increasing that ratio impact the quality of that relationship?
- For this module, if you were to choose one person to focus on dialing up this ratio, who would it be? and what difference might it make?