How to use praise effectively to motivate people

We would like to invite you to take part in a short thought experiment: When was the last time you were praised by a colleague, your boss, or partner for good performance or behavior? Can you think of anything off the top of your head, or was it a long time ago? Let's take it a step further... When was the last time you praised your colleague, employee, boss, or partner?

We often ask managers this question at the beginning of our seminars, as soon as we start discussing praise. The response is usually loud laughter and comments such as "I haven't been praised in a long time!" or "Nothing said is praise enough!" Where does this come from?

Praising and recognizing achievements and behavior is one of the most underestimated tools for promoting people in the long term. Often, there is little differentiation between when praise is appropriate and what points should be considered when giving praise. In today's blog article, you will learn when praise is appropriate, why it is important in employee management, and what guidelines you can use to praise others in a playful and effective way.

Praise vs. recognition vs. appreciation

These three terms are often mentioned when it comes to praising employees. Let's first take a look at what each term means:

Praise in the context of employee management can be used as soon as an employee goes the extra mile. What did they do exceptionally well? What did the employee do that went beyond their job description? Where did they provide additional support and add personal value to the company and/or other colleagues? What exceeded expectations?

You can find out which guidelines you should follow in communication below in the section "Guidelines for emotional praise." Praise should generally be used sparingly, as it can quickly come across as flattery and lose its value if used too often.

Recognition can always be expressed when it comes to rewarding "normal operations." This is not about going the extra mile, but rather about acknowledging the things and behaviors that are defined in the job description. Many employees do good work without constantly excelling. It is more about appreciating routine tasks. For example: "Thank you for covering my back" or "Thank you for doing this task for me!"

Appreciation can be expressed at any time. Praise and appreciation are generally related to a specific achievement by an individual.

Appreciation is independent of an employee's performance. Appreciative behavior should be conveyed at all times. For example, by valuing and respecting the employee's values. Appreciation should also be given when an employee does not perform as expected. In short, every employee should be shown appreciation at all times.

Why Praise Developing People

Praise or recognition are nothing more than feedback. Feedback that says, "I have seen and noticed what you have done" and "I would like to briefly reflect this back to you so that you have some guidance." It also says, "I am interested in what you do" and "You are important to me as a person." You can read more about why this type of feedback is so important in the blog article "How to use feedback to develop employees."

Targeted praise also boosts employees' self-confidence. For many people, self-confidence is a delicate plant. Targeted praise waters this plant, helping it to grow stronger and more robust. After all, praise is often given too sparingly rather than too generously.

Guidelines for emotional praise

The goal of praise is always for it to be emotionally accepted by the other person. There are three steps that can help achieve this:

• Step 1: General reference
  Example: "I would like to tell you how much I appreciated that..."

• Step 2: + specific situation
  Example: "There and then, I noticed that..."

• Step 3: + Benefits and/or personal connection
  Example: "This is particularly important because..." / "I particularly appreciate this because..."

As long as the praise is precise and comprehensible in detail, it does not come across as flattery. This makes it easier for the person being praised to accept the praise. Pointing out the benefits (step 3) that have been achieved through a particular behavior takes the praise to a higher level and makes it even more valuable. Keep in mind: Good praise is concise. As soon as it becomes too excessive, it loses its emotional value.

Stumbling blocks when giving praise

Here are a few tips to avoid stumbling blocks when praising employees:

• Praise should never be used to achieve a specific goal. Its purpose is to encourage people and provide feedback and guidance.
• Essential requirement: Observe your fellow human beings closely. Only those who pay close attention to their employees can offer praise or recognition.
• Feedback should always be as clear and precise as possible.
• Praise should not be given too often, but rather in measured doses so that it does not lose its effect.
• Give praise promptly! This will ensure that the emotion is even stronger in the employee.
• If you receive specific praise, simply respond with "Thank you." If the praise is vague, ask, "What exactly did you like?"

Image source: ©pixabay – skeeze