FIre Up Performance with Praise
Management Tip: Catch People in the Act of Doing It Right
At a recent networking function, I hugged a business associate and praised her for her recent accomplishments. She said, “I wish they treated me this way at work.”
How sad that so many workplaces don’t emphasize praise, but rather just numbers and performance. Your employees will run through walls with a little praise and your resilient leadership skills in the face of adversity. While sales are more important than ever, the people making the sales are often overlooked.
To motivate your people, you must praise them, find out what is important to them, and reward them. A handwritten card can go a long way. Catch people in the act of doing something right, and specifically praise them for a job well done. Go on an active search for success in your people.
Key Takeaways
- Genuine, specific praise is a low-cost, high-impact management tool that most workplaces underuse.
- Catching people doing something right, rather than only correcting mistakes, builds engagement and loyalty.
- Small gestures, a handwritten card, a specific compliment, often matter more than formal recognition programs.
- Praise and resilient leadership go together: people give more discretionary effort when they feel seen.
These small acts of recognition are the Connection element of the Leadership Resilience System in practice: the relationships and recognition that sustain engagement under pressure.
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