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Stephen P. Robbins, a renowned American authority on management and organizational behavior, notes in his Financial Times bestseller The Truth About Managing People that a survey of 1,500 people from various positions aimed to identify the most powerful workplace motivator. Their response: recognition, recognition, and more recognition! Another study found that employees consider a manager's expression of gratitude for their good work the most important motivator. Unfortunately, 58% of respondents said their bosses never said thank you.

World-class motivation experts Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, in their New York Times bestseller The Carrot Principle: How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their People, Retain Talent, and Accelerate Performance, report that in a global survey on factors influencing employee engagement, "appreciation" ranked above salary. However, they also found that up to 74% of leaders do not appreciate their employees.

Given that recognition and appreciation are so important, why don't leaders recognize or appreciate their employees? There are many reasons, but a key one is not knowing how to do it. Based on my learning and experience, here are seven principles and techniques for praise.

1. When praising, avoid criticism. If you want to praise an employee, don't include any hint of criticism, and don't say "but." If you mix praise with criticism, the person will only remember the criticism, not the praise, and the purpose of praise will be lost.

In fact, praise is a form of "giving." Since it is giving, it should be warm and confident, not hesitant or half-hearted, as if you are reluctant or the person doesn't deserve it, which would make the recipient feel uncomfortable and unhappy.

2. Public praise should focus on the deed, not the person. Whether to praise publicly depends on the situation and occasion; it cannot be generalized. Sometimes praising one person can discourage many others, and in such cases, the person praised may not feel honored, and the praise can have a negative effect.

Public praise should emphasize team values and behaviors to enhance team capability and cooperation. The team, not the individual, should always be our focus and direction. Therefore, public praise requires skill: praise the person by praising the deed, and praise the individual by praising the team.

3. If you publicly praise an individual, consider doing it privately first. This does not mean public praise should always focus on the deed rather than the person. In fact, if an individual's contribution and performance are outstanding, public praise is necessary to set an example, advocate a spirit, and promote a value.

In such cases, it is best to first have a private conversation with the person, and even do some "groundwork" to build consensus within a certain scope before making the public praise. This will make the person feel that the boss truly trusts them, increase the "ceremony" and "surprise" of the praise, and make it more effective.

4. Private praise should focus on the person, not the deed. If you feel an individual's performance is outstanding and you appreciate it, but it is not suitable for public praise, you can do it privately, calling the person aside to "have a word." Especially for your close confidants or those around you, it is not advisable to praise them publicly too often, as this can easily "isolate" them.

Private praise is more about conveying approval and trust: "You are excellent (because you are capable, so you do things well)." Therefore, private praise should focus on personal growth, and you can also use this opportunity to express further expectations and goals for the person.

5. Praise your subordinates wherever they are. Step out of your office and praise them anytime, anywhere. This is different from public praise mentioned above; it is more like "greeting when you meet." Make praise more cordial, timely, specific, and infectious.

Don't always put on airs or keep a straight face. Go out and walk around regularly; go to where your subordinates are working hard. Even a simple greeting can be a great motivator. For example, pat a subordinate on the shoulder, give immediate approval for behaviors and performance worth encouraging, or ask about their family and life.

6. Let your praise fly to where your subordinates' hearts are. The highest level of praise is to be free and spontaneous, not doing whatever you want, but using your heart to follow your subordinates' hearts, letting praise fly with their hearts, and making their hearts move for you.

Good praise must speak to the person's heart, knowing what they think and need. For example, if a subordinate is ambitious, you can "praise him" in front of the boss to further motivate his ambition; if your subordinate is far from home or rarely returns, "talk about him" to his parents or family, which will more easily touch him and make him work with peace of mind.

7. Praise as a tool requires careful planning. In fact, there is no fixed formula for praise. You can do it publicly or privately; you can praise the team or the individual. This requires you to design it well according to the person, the matter, the time, and different situations and needs, to make your praise more effective.

Everyone's personality, needs, culture, and background are different, so you need to treat them differently, not equally. For example, if a subordinate is a troublemaker, you can first temper his arrogance, then find an opportunity to praise him; if a subordinate never gets praised, you can deliberately give him opportunities to perform and let him "stand out."

Moreover, different methods should be adopted according to the "event" or "behavior" being praised. At the same time, praise can be combined with small gifts, such as a note, a bouquet of flowers, or even a movie ticket or a meal.

In short, don't simplify praise, and don't complicate it, but make it more humane and in line with organizational values and moral pursuits.

Source: World Executive

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