Some people say they don’t want praise and we believe them. Others would be mortified to admit they need any kind of commendation. While still some people openly thrive on being positively reinforced. So how do you navigate all these differences for the goal of motivating your employees and fellow co-workers?
One way is to think of praise as acknowledgement. The act of acknowledging shakes off visions of laying compliments onto someone and instead grounds it in being communication that simply lets someone know that their behavior had a positive impact. It is knowing that impact that increases the likelihood for that behavior to happen again. It also tells a person discern where they stand. If I know how you view my performance, then that bolsters our working relationship because I’m not left wondering. With many employees, having that knowledge of what they’re doing right builds their confidence and willingness to expand their capabilities.
To acknowledge effectively, it’s important to be specific. “ You did an amazing job in the meeting” may have the desired effect for some people but saying “The points you made in the meeting made the process for the Harrison project crystal clear.” Tells them exactly what it is that they did that was appreciated. Even a person that does not like praise can still take this feedback in because it pinpoints how their efforts landed productively. Everyone, and I mean everyone needs to know that what they do matters.