We all see world in a different way based on our culture and how we were brought up. So it's very important to understand this, particularly when you give your people feedback be it good or bad.

Last year I spent several weeks in a particular hotel running seminars and I started to get to know some of staff. One day I noticed that Carol conference manager had been named employee of month and her photograph was displayed in reception area. When I congratulated her on this honour I was a bit surprised at her reaction - "I hate it, I'm so embarrassed," she complained.

Carol didn't like attention she was getting and as a result, this recognition by her manager didn't motivate her. Another member of team could possibly see this completely differently and regard it as a great honour.

If you have good rapport with your people then you become sensitive to how they see things. The successful business person understands each member of their team and doesn't reward everyone in same way.

I've often heard managers say - "I treat people way I expect to be treated." The successful manager says - "I treat people way THEY expect to be treated."

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I joined three companies as a manager and in each case I inherited team members who didn't have what it takes to do job. I'd usually find three categories of people in teams - The first group were 'good guys,' ones I knew could do job and wouldn't give me any hassle.

The second group consisted of people who needed a bit of looking after, watching closely and definitely some coaching.

The third group were ones didn't have either skills or characteristics to do job and no amount of training, or anything I could do, would change that. I would often find that these people, due to their lack of success, weren't exactly happy in job anyway and were sometimes only too pleased to be transferred to another position.

I hear you saying - "easier said than done Alan" and you're right. But successful manager needs to address these issues for good of team and business.

The successful manager concentrates on strengths not weaknesses. It's vital to give your people feedback on their strengths and also on their weaknesses. However these should only be weaknesses that you know individual can do something about.

It's a waste of your time and effort trying to sort weaknesses that can't be sorted. Some people just can't build relationships with customers; others can't work as fast as you need them to and others can't write a report to save their life.

Your most productive time as a manager will be spent giving feedback on strengths and how to develop these even further. Many managers spend majority of their time with team members trying to resolve weaknesses. They then don't have time or sometimes capability to give feedback on strengths.