How to Use Praise to Lead

7/29/2019 How to Use Praise to Lead

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What praise ultimately does is hold up a mirror. It acknowledges what people already

think about themselves: that theyre good at what they do. Youre making someone happy

and fulfilled and more excited to work with you. And for almost no effort at all.

How to Use Praise to Lead & Inspire

7 Tips For Getting the Most Out of Your Positive Feedback

http://www.manta.com/small-business/Motive-Your-Employees-Give-Praise-0412

"The deepest principle in human nature is the desire to be appreciated." ~ William James

Check your files. Search around in the back of your desk drawers. Somewhere, you have a

treasure trove of special thank you cards and notes of appreciation that you have received. No

matter how many jobs you may have had in your career, these items are never discarded and you

treat them like gems to be savored and viewed again and again. I know that I have my special

thank you card signed by all my coworkers from the first professional job I ever had way back in

1990. It still makes me smile and reminisce when I pull it out and remember all the kind words

my coworkers had to say about me. Praise is a powerful force, indeed. But like any powerful

force, it must be used with care and precision to yield the best results. Just follow these 7 simple

tips to get the most out of the praise you offer to others.

1. Recognize That Praise is One of Your Most Powerful Management Tools

The lack of praise and recognition is consistently ranked as one of the main reasons why people

quit their jobs. In fact, the lack of praise was ranked as more important than compensation,

limited authority, and personality conflicts. Wichita State University found that personalized

recognition from managers was the single most powerful motivator from a list of 65 potential

incentives being evaluated. Despite this overwhelming evidence of the importance of praise,

many employees feel under appreciated and claim that they rarely receive a word of thanks from

their employer. Much of this problem is not because mangers do not appreciate their employees
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efforts. It's because most managers and supervisors have received no formal training in how to

use and apply praise effectively so that it has the greatest impact and affect on employee

performance.

2. Learn How to Praise with Sincerity

In order for your praise to be received well, it must first be delivered well. Never praise someone

for no specific reason. Stop giving backhanded compliments, such as "Great job. See, you guys

can work hard when you really want to." This is not sincere praise and it actually decreases

employee motivation. Stop using humor or profane language when you praise - no matter how

casual the workplace. Saying, "You're my favorite dimwit" is just mean spirited and ignorant.

Yet if anyone complains, you can always weasel your way out of it just by saying, "Hey, I was

just kidding around. Why do you always have to be so sensitive?" Great, now you have just gone

from praising to criticizing in less than 30 seconds. Humor has it's place, but sincere praise has a

much better impact.

3. Catch Employees Doing Things Right and Praise Them for It

Far too many bosses and managers spend their time and attention trying to get under performing

employees to stop problem behaviors and increase their performance. So, instead of paying

attention and praising the vast majority of employees who are currently performing well and

doing exactly what they should be doing, the low performers get more attention. From a

leadership perspective, this is highly counterproductive and actually lowers employee morale. If

you hope to see more positive behaviors, then you must consistently praise and recognize those

behaviors when you see them occur. So shift from watching for mistakes to looking for people

doing things right. In fact, if you ever want to determine how good a leader someone is, just go

ask their followers this one single question, "What happens around here when you do things

right?" If the answer is "nothing," then you can bet that you have a leader who is focusing too

much time and energy on the bad behaviors of low performing employees and not enough time

recognizing and praising people doing things exactly as they should.


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4. Be Certain to Tie Your Praise to Specific and Observable Behaviors

Praise is most effective when it is used to shape and reinforce specific positive behaviors. A

behavior is something that a camera can see or that a tape recorder can hear. A bad attitude is not

a behavior - it's a concept. If the customer service representative is polite, courteous, and quickly

solves my problem, I really do not care if they think a bad thought about me. Do not give

generalized praise such as, "Great job!" This is not tied to a specific behavior and leaves the

person receiving the praise guessing as to exactly what they did that was so great. Instead, you

might say, "Great job on the Thomas project. You finished that job two days ahead of the

deadline, came in under budget, and kept your quality numbers above 99%." This clarity helps

the person understand what they have done to earn your praise and it also primes them to repeat

the behavior to get more praise.

5. Offer Praise as Quickly as You Can When You See Positive Behavior

Never save your praise for the weekly staff meeting. Instead, give it immediately when you see a

positive behavior occur. It's also fine to mention it again later at the reporting meeting as well. If

positive behaviors get ignored for long periods of time, they are likely to weaken and may even

stop altogether. Praise is the inertia that keeps positive action in motion. Further, when

employees demonstrate positive behaviors and do not receive praise, they often report feeling

like they are taken for granted or that management does not really care about them since all they

do is tell them what they are doing wrong and ignore what they are doing right.

6. Use Praise as Your Primary Performance Development Tool

One of the main roles of leaders is to develop other leaders. One of the quickest ways to help

people develop new behaviors is to always be on the lookout for positive behaviors you can

praise. This is especially true after you have criticized someone or corrected them for a problem

behavior. As soon as you see them doing something right, be the first one to tell them how much

you appreciate them receiving your feedback in a spirit of goodwill and then taking steps to

improve their behavior - tell them, "I really am proud of you." Stop taking good behavior for


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granted. Never be the "jerk" who says, "Why should I praise people for doing their job? After all,

that is what we pay them for."

7. Customize Your Praise to Match the Person Receiving It

Adjust the way you praise to match the person you are praising. For example, if one of your

employees is quiet and shy, then you may want to praise them in private or send them a thank

you card instead of having them stand up in the middle of a staff meeting to receive their praise.

Likewise, if someone is outgoing and extroverted, then make an announcement over the public

address system as well as having them stand up and take a bow during the staff meeting. In

general, try to praise people in the presence of others as often as you can.

This helps them feel publicly acknowledged and also helps teach other employees what they

must do to earn your praise as well. Here's another way to personalize your praise. Instead of just

signing your name on the thank you card, write down a few sentences describing what the person

did and how their actions have made a positive contribution and why you appreciate their efforts

- then sign your name. These cards will become coveted treasures to your employees. Bonus

idea: If you send a card or email to someone you do not directly supervise, always be sure and

send a copy to their supervisor as well. Both the person being praised and their boss will

appreciate your efforts.

How Praising Employees Can Help Your Business Thrive

http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/224937

It's no secret thatemployee praise-- ranging from a pat on the back to major public kudos -- is a

good thing. But many managers struggle with this soft skill or don't give it enough credence,

says Bill Flint, founder of Flint Strategic Partners, a management consulting firm in Goshen, Ind.

"Too often, leaders get caught up in telling people what they're doing wrong instead of showing

that they care," he says. To reap the rewards of a kind word or two, here are five ways to easily

incorporate performance-boostingpraise into your organization.
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1. Stop and talk to employees. As you walk through your office, take time to stop and talk to

employees, thanking them for their hard work. It sounds simple, says Flint, but that kind of

unexpected praise can put pep in the step of most employees.

2. Pinpoint praise-worthy acts. Encourage managers and employees to point out team members

and co-workers who are working hard on a project or going above and beyond their job

descriptions. Then, write a note or make a point to personally thank that person right away.

Be specific, says Flint. Praise the behavior you want to foster, such as, "I was so impressed by

the way you organized that meeting agenda and accomplished everything in less than an hour. I

appreciate that kind of efficiency."

3. Reward good ideas. Employees who find ways to save money or improve operations are

valuable assets and need to be recognized. If someone in your organization makes an

improvement, make a big deal about it. Thank the person publicly. Depending on the idea and

situation, an email blast might be appropriate in addition to the one-on-one appreciation, and let

other employees know that type of innovation is valued.

4. Don't forget to praise productive failure. Sometimes, hard-fought battles don't work out as

planned, but still deserve praise. If team members have given their all to a project that didn't

succeed or a sale that was lost to a competitor, it's important to recognize those efforts.

"They probably feel defeated. It's your job, as the company owner, to tell them that their work is

appreciated and help get their heads back into the game," Flint says.

5. Recognize milestones. When an employee hits the five- or 10-year mark with your company,

do something. Keeping good employees is critical for any business to succeed. Thank the

employee and incorporate a small gift or incentive to show you appreciate his or her loyalty.

The 9 Elements of Highly Effective Employee Praisehttp://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/the-9-elements-of-highly-effective-employee-praise.html

Step 1: Lose the Employee-of-the-Month program. (No one cares about it.) Here's the recognition your staff

really deserves.

Heres a fun exercise: Think about an old boss you didn't like. On a scale of one to 10no, you cant use negative numbershow would you

rate their skills of recognizing, praising, and rewarding hard work and achievement?

If youre like most people, you probably give them a two, or at most a three.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/the-9-elements-of-highly-effective-employee-praise.htmlhttp://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/the-9-elements-of-highly-effective-employee-praise.htmlhttp://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/the-9-elements-of-highly-effective-employee-praise.html


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Now rate yourself. How well do you recognize and praise your employees?

That exercise might not be quite as fun.

Effective employee recognition is mostly art, not science. That's why most formal recognition programs never deliver what they promise: It's

easy for employees to spot an insincere, we need to put something in place recognition program.

So dont worry about creating a program. Just follow these tips to give your employees the recognition they deserve:

Dont wait.

The more time that passes between great performance and recognition, the lower the impact of that recognition.

Immediately is never too soon.

Be specific.

Generic praise is nice but specific praise is wonderful. Don't just tell an employee she did a good job; tell her how she did a good job. Not only

will she appreciate the gesture, she also knows you pay attention to what she does.

And shell know exactly what to do the next time in a similar situation.

Be genuine.

I once had a boss who walked around the plant every Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m.

He said warm and fuzzyalbeit vague and genericthings to employees during his little tour, but all of us could tell he was just checking off a

box on his to-do list. (Thursday, 1 p.m.: Check in with troops and make them feel appreciated.)

Never praise for the sake of praising. Its obvious to everyone, and you lessen the impact when you really do mean what you say.

Save constructive feedback for later.

Many bosses just have to toss in a little feedback while praising an employee. Say, That was great how you handled the customers complaint,

but next time you might also consider and all I hear is what I should do next time.

Praise and recognize now. Save performance improvement opportunities for later.

Go hunting.

Were conditioned to spend the majority of our time looking for issues and problems we can correct. Spend a little time trying to catch

employees doing good things, too.

Be surprising.

Birthday presents are nice, but unexpected gifts make an even bigger impact. Unexpected recognition is always more powerful, too. Winning

"Employee of the Week" is nice, but receiving a surprise visit from the owner because you won back a lost client is awesome.

Strike a balance.

It's easy to recognize some of your best employeestheyre always doing great things. (But maybe, just maybe, consistent recognition is one

of the reasons why they're your best employees.)


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Find ways to spread the positive feedback wealth. You might have to work hard to find reasons to recognize some of your less than stellar

employees, but that's okay. A little encouragement may be all a poor performer needs to turn the productivity corner.

Create a recognition culture.

Its easy: Just make recognition something you measure. One of my old bosses started every management meeting by having every supervisor

share two examples of employees they recognized or praised that day. At first it seemed cheesy and forced, but we quickly embraced it.

Plus there was a nice bonus: Peer pressure and natural competitiveness caused a few of us to help our employees accomplish things worthy of

praise so we had great stuff to report.

Treat employees like snowflakes.

Every employee responds differently to recognition. Many appreciate public praise. Others cringe if theyre made the center of attention.

Know your employees and tailor your recognition so it produces the greatest impact for each individual.

And remember:

Recognizing effort and achievement is self-reinforcing. When you do a better job of recognizing your employees, they tend to perform better.

And that gives you even more achievements to praise.

The 5 Best Ways toPraise Employeeshttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505143_162-47743382/the-5-best-ways-to-praise-employees/

Think your "Employee of the Month" program is a great way to recognize

performance?

Think again. Praising an employee should:

Boost their confidence and self esteem, and

Reinforce positive behaviors, and

Reward their effort and accomplishment, and Build their motivation and enthusiasm...

Can a special parking spot, or a photo in the newsletter, or a $20 gift card really

accomplish all that? Nope.

Here are five great ways to praise employees:
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1. Ask for their help. Asking another person for help is possibly the most sincere

way to recognize their abilities and value. Why? Asking makes us vulnerable: We

admit weakness or need or a lack of skill. Ask employees for help and not only do

you show you respect their skills, you also extend your trust.

The key is to ask for help partly or totally unrelated to their function, and to make

the assistance relatively personal to you. I once returned from a corporate

meeting where layoffs had been discussed. I proposed alternatives to cutting

staffing but was unsuccessful. By the time I got back word had already spread

throughout the plant that layoffs were imminent. Just before the plant meeting

one of my employees said, "So, layoffs, huh?" I didn't have to confirm it; he knew.

I said, "I have no idea what to tell our employees. What would you say?"

He thought and said, "Just tell everyone you tried. Then talk about where we go

from here."

Simple? Sure. But powerful. Later he told me how much it meant to him that I had

wanted his opinion and took his advice.

2. Ask for their ideas. Again, make it somewhat unrelated to the employee's

function. For example, don't go the typical, "Do you have any ideas regarding

how you can do your job faster?" route. Instead, build off skills or insights they

possess to use them in other ways.

Say an HR employee is incredibly organized. Say, "I'm always impressed by how

organized you are; I wish we could clone you." Then ask if she has thoughts

about how to streamline warehouse processing, or streamline the paperwork

involved in hiring new employees, or how another department could handle data

collection more efficiently. Not only will you get great ideas, but you also

recognize skill and ability in a more meaningful way than simply saying, "Wow,

you're awesome."


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3.Create informal leadership roles. Putting an employee in a short-term informal

leadership role can make a major impact. Think how you would feel if your boss

said, "We're swamped... and now we have this huge customer problem. If we

don't take care of it we may lose them. Can you grab a few people and handle it

for me?"

Informal leadership roles show you trust an employee's skills and judgment. The

more important the task, the higher the implied praise and the greater the boost

to their self esteem.

4. Do something together. Since you're the boss, you and your employees are on

unequal footing. A great way to recognize an employee's value -- especially their

value to you -- is to tackle a task together.

Years ago my boss said, "I'm thinking of joining Toastmasters to improve my

presentation skills. Would you be interested in joining with me? Might be good

for both of us..." I was flattered he asked, flattered he saw me as someone who

would someday need great presentation skills....

What you choose to do together doesn't have to be outside of work, of course.

The key is to do something as relative equals, not as boss and employee.

Unequal separates; equal elevates.

5. PlayPriceline.com.Congratulate an employee for a job well done, then let them

name their "price." Say, "You did an outstanding job; what can I do to reward

you?"

You might be surprised by how simple the reward they choose will be.

Bottom line: Verbal praise is always great, but implied praise can be even more powerful. Asking for help or ideas, putting an

employee in charge, dropping hierarchical roles and working together... each is a powerful way to recognize the true value of your

employees.
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And to show you trust them -- which is the highest praise of all.

(Jeff Haden learned much of what he knows about business from managing a 250-employee book manufacturing plant. Everything

else he picked up from ghostwriting books for some of the smartest CEOs and leaders in business. He has written more than 30

non-fiction books, including four Business and Investing titles that reached #1 on Amazon's bestseller list. )

8 Things You ShouldNever Say to Employees

Your employees constantly watch you. Say the wrong thing, no matter how

unintentionally, and at the very least you send the wrong message. Sometimes what you say can even destroy employee morale.

Here are 8 things a good leader should never say to employees:

1. "I'm in charge, so this is what we're going to do." Dealing with different opinions or even open dissent is challenging for any leader and can make youfeel defensive and insecure. When that happens you might be tempted to fall back on the golden rule: She who has the gold makes th e rules. Don't.Everyone knows you're in charge; saying you are instantly destroys any feelings of collaboration, teamwork, and esprit de corps. When you can't back up a

decision with data or logic, possibly that decision isn't the right decision. Don't be afraid to back down and be wrong. Employees respect you even more

when you admit you make a mistake.2. "I have a great opportunity for you."No, you don't; you just want the employee to agree to take on additional work or the project no one wants. If you

say, "Mary, next week I'm assigning you to work on a new project with our best customer," she immediately knows it's a great opportunity. If you say,"Mary, I have a great opportunity for you; next week I'm assigning you to sort out the problems in our warehouse," she knows she just got stuck with a

less-than-plum assignment. Any opportunity that really is great requires no preface or setup. Don't sell.3. "Man, this has been a long day. I'll see you guys. It's time for me to get out of here." No employee wants to feel your pain. From your perspective,

running a business can be stressful, draining, and overwhelming. From the employee's perspective you have it made because you make all the rules. Don't

expect employee empathy; instead talk about how today was challenging and everyone pulled together, or how you really appreciate that employee's help.

4. "Hey, that's a great idea -- and if we do it this way..." As BNET colleagues Kelly and Marshall Goldsmith note,successful people often try too hard toadd value. (Unsuccessful people do too, by the way.) You may be able to improve an employee's idea and lay out a specific path for implementation, but in

the process you kill their enthusiasm. Instead, say, "Hey, that's a great idea," then ask questions: How they came up with the idea, the data or reasoning they

used, how they think the idea should be implemented, etc. In the process the employee may identify small tweaks on her own, and if not you can gently
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guide him in the right direction. The best ideas, from an employee's point of view, are not your ideas. The best ideas are always their ideas, and rightfully

so. Make sure employees' ideas stay their ideas, and everyone benefits.5. "Sure, I'll be happy to talk to your brother about a job." The smaller the company the less you can afford interpersonal problems, especially those

created by cliques and "alliances." (Doesn't running a small business sometimes feel like an episode of "Survivor"?) There ar e certainly exceptions to therule, but think carefully before you hire an employee's family member. Blood is always thicker than business.

6. "No." Actually, "no" can be okay -- as long as it is always followed with an explanation. Still, better choices are "I don't think we can, and here's why..." or"I would like to, but here's why we can't..." or "That sounds like a great idea, but we'll need to do a couple of things first..." Explain, explain, explain: As a

leader, explaining is near the top of your job description.

7. "I can't wait to go to Cancun next week." Don't assume your employees will be inspired by and hope to emulate your success. They won't. Leave your

Porsche in the garage. I've consulted for a number of family-run businesses, and in every instance (sometimes when I was on-site less than a day), at leastone employee spoke of resenting how "good" the owners have it -- at the expense of underpaid employees. Is resenting your success, even if you don't

flaunt it, fair? No. Is it a real issue for employees? Absolutely.8. "We." This one is conditional: Use "we" when it fits, but never use the royal "we." Employees are aware there is no "I" in team, but they know when you

are paying lip service to "we." Just as it's incredibly obvious to employees when you take an insincere, obligatory tour to "check in" and show how much

you seem to care, it's just as obvious when you say "we" just because you think you should. Build a real sense of teamwork first and using "we" comesnaturally. Teamwork actions speak much louder than any theoretically inclusive words.

I know there are plenty more. Feel free to share things on your "do not say" list -- and things you wish had never been said to you.

The Fine Art of Praising

EmployeesEffective employee recognition is mostly art, not science. That's why a lot of formal recognition programs quickly sputter and die. It's easy tospot an insincere, pro forma recognition program.So don't create a program to praise your employees -- you don't need one. Just follow these tips to make sure you're giving them therecognition they deserve:

Treat employees like snowflakes. Every employee responds differently to recognition. Many appreciate public praise. Others cringe and want to runaway. Recognize each employee in the way that produces the greatest impact forthem.

Never wait. The greater the interval between performance and recognition, the lower the impact. Right away is never too soon.

Be specific. Generic praise is nice, but specific praise is wonderful. Don't just tell me I did a good job; tell me how I did a good job. Not only will Iappreciate the gesture, I'll also know you pay attention. And I'll know exactly what to do next time, too.

Be sincere. This one should go without saying, but how many times have you been praised by someone who made you feel they were just checking a boxon their task list? Never praise for the sake of praising -- you'll only reduce the impact when you really do mean what you say.

Leave out the "constructive" stuff. Many leaders can't withstand the temptation to throw in a little feedback while praising an employee. (Don't you hatethe "say two positive things for every negative" guideline?) Praise and recognize; leave performance improvement opportunities for later.

Be proactive. Sometimes managers spend too much time looking for problems. Focus just as much on catching employees doing good things, too.

Try the "just because" flowers approach. Just like a surprise bouquet can make a bigger impact than Valentine's Day roses, unexpected recognition isalways more powerful. Winning the weekly "great customer service" award is nice, but a surprise visit from the CEO to thank someone for winning back aclient is priceless.

Always seek a balance. It's easy to recognize some of your best employees. (Maybe consistent recognition is one of the reasons why they'rethe best employees?) Find ways to share the positive feedback love. You might have to look hard to find reasons to recognize some employees,

but that's okay: A little encouragement may be all a poor performer needs to turn the productivity corner.

Make recognition systemic: To create a culture of recognition, try starting every management meeting differently. Go around the room andhave everyone share two examples of employees they recognized or praised that day. Then you get a nice bonus: Peer pressure and natural

competitiveness will cause many to help their employees accomplish things worthy of praise if only so they have great stuff to report.Recognizing effort and achievement is self-reinforcing: When you do a better job of recognizing employees they tend to perform

better -- giving you even more achievements to recognize.

Jack Welch on How to Manage Employees


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http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/224604

What would you say is your company's greatest asset? Your products? Your technology? Your brand? According to Jack Welch, the former CEO of

GE, that answer is the same for every business: your team.

Welch is famous for his candid, talent-centricmanagement styleand has long preached that companies are only as strong as the people who keep

them running. "This whole game of business revolves around one thing," he said at New York's World Business Forum on Wednesday. "You build the

best team, you win."Welch made a name for himself bybuilding and leading his teamat GE for over 20 years. He has written several bestselling books on management

and recently founded the Jack Welch Management Institute, an online MBA program. At the conference, he shared some of his management tips. Here

are our favorites:

1. Tell your employees where they stand.Welch advocates frequent, candid performance reviews. Or in his words, "You have no right to be a leader

if someone who works for you doesn't know where they stand."

Four times a year at GE, Welch gave each of his direct reports an honest appraisal. He told each of them what he liked about their work and what they

could do to improve. "People think they're too busy (for performance reviews)," he says. "That's your number one job." He says he devoted more than

60 percent of his time to human resources, viewing every meeting -- even budget

meetings -- as talent evaluations.

Related:How to Break Bad News to Employees

2. Hire generous leaders. When Welch assesses a leader, he looks for people who want to see others succeed. "Every good leader I know has a

generosity gene," he says, meaning that they're excited to give a raise or suggest their best employee for a better opportunity on another team. "They

like to see people win."

Welch adds that successful leaders also coach their employees, giving them tools and advice to help them grow. "A great leader is a generous coach,"

he says.

3. Explain the rationale for your decisions. If you want your employees or your board to stand behind your decisions, you need to explain your

rationale. People who understand your reasons are more likely to support you even if they disagree.

When Welch wants buy-in, he explains who the competitors are, what they can do to hurt the company in the next two years, and how he plans to play

offense. That context is key. "The benefits of change have to be explained," he says.

Related: 3 Secrets of Happy Employees

4. Critique yourself honestly. Leaders at the top of the food chain are rarely evaluated, so Welch says that critique has to come from within. "You've

got to look in the mirror every morning and be totally self-effacing," he says. "Give yourself a critical review."

Welch says that he often lost his temper early in his career. When he was honest with himself, his leadership lapses were obvious. "I knew when I was

a jerk," he says. "I came in the next day and apologized in front of everyone."

5. Give employees a reason to choose you.When you aim to inspire company loyalty, you are essentially courting your employees. You need topaint a picture of how their future will be better if they stay with you. "You want your employees to feel like they are part of the company," Welch says.

"Tell them a story that makes them want to choose you."

As you tell that story, you're instilling a sense of common purpose, which gives employees a sense of excitement and opportunity. "Make that purpose

come alive for them every day," he says.

The 3 Leadership Behaviors That Make Your Employees Feel

Fulfilled

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225924

Engaged workplace. Positive,employee-friendly culture. Individualized reward system. You've heard all of these catch-phrases before when it comes

to finding out how to make your employees truly feel inspired at work. But what does it all mean?

That's what Beth Thomas tries to figure out every day -- and the answer varies for each company. Thomas, managing director of consulting services, at

Dublin, Ohio human resources consulting firm Sequent says that leaders need to build their owninspiringworkplace cultures instead of following

another's lead.

There is plenty of research to back up the notion that keeping employees happy also keeps

them productive. But if you don't really believe that it's important to spend time and thought on keeping employees happy, it's never going to become

the priority that it needs to be, Thomas says. Leaders need to look at the importance and benefits ofmotivating employeesand keeping them

interested in doing good work.
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Related:Inside 3 Inspiring Workplaces

So while exactly what will make individuals at different companies feel happy and fulfilled at work may vary there are a few golden rules that work

across the board.

1. Recognize even routine jobs.

Employees are motivated when they can see the impact of their work, Thomas says. Find ways to show employees at every level how their work has

an impact on the overall company. If your manufacturing line or warehouse team fulfilled a big order on time, go tell them how much you appreciate

their work or buy lunch for them. Some jobs can feel thankless -- change that.2. Reward outstanding work.

When employees do a great job or go above and beyond the call of duty, i t has to be recognized, Thomas says. That does two things: It makes the

employee feel valued, and it also models that behavior for otherteam members. Find the behaviors that you want to cultivate and reward those in a

public way, she says. Be careful not to overemphasize one employee, as that can breed resentment. Instead, if you have an employee who

consistently performs well, find a way to move him or her into a mentoring position to further cultivate that behavior.

Related:What Really Motivates Employees? [Infographic]

3. Understand what really matters to your employees.

Make sure those little feel-good perks actually hit home. Thomas says it makes no sense to spend money on coffee gift cards or company t-shirts if

your employees don't care about them. Instead, use surveys, focus groups and interviews to get information about the rewards that matter. For some

employees, it's about money. Others are delighted at an evening out on the boss or when they're treated to lunch. Earning a half-day off or the ability to

have some flexibility in work time, when possible, can also be powerful ways to keep employees motivated to perform.

In addition, Thomas says it's critical to monitor the workplace for negative situations and toxic behavior. If you find it, work with the employee on

correcting it or that negativity could affect other employees and make them less enthusiastic about your workplace.

What Really Motivates Employees?
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Inside Employee Motivation: Does Money Really Make a

Difference?

"Unless you're extremely careful with how you use rewards, you get people who are just working for the money," says Edward Deci, a human

motivation psychologist at University of Rochester.

Some experts, like Deci, discourage using money to motivate employees at all, especially when employees anticipate that reward before they f inish the

task. "We need to compensate people fairly, but when we try to usemoneyto motivate them to do tasks, it can very likely backfire on us," he says.

Others believe that money can be used to motivate employees without compromising self-motivation.

"Money is highly motivational for people," says Ian Larkin, a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. "But saying money is the

only thing we should use is also silly. Companies probably think too much about using money as a motivator and too little about other motivators."

Here are a few tips to help you put both holiday bonuses and compensation packages in perspective:

1. Facilitate a sense of autonomy.Employees need autonomy and respect in order to feel motivated. When money is used as bait, it can undermine

empowerment. In those situations, Deci says that employees feel controlled and lose their self-motivation. An office that demands grueling hours in

exchange for quarterly bonuses might convince employees to do the work, but it will likely be lower quality.

Instead, offer your employees reasonable freedoms, listen to them, and give them an opportunity to pursue and achieve their goals. Create a positive

and pleasant work environment so you don't need bait just to keep them coming into the office.

2. Use a variety of individualized rewards.Just as you need to tailor your management style for each employee, your motivational style needs to be

tailored as well. Consider your employees' values, tasks, and goals. "The devil is in the details when it comes to incentives and motivation," Larkin

says. "Monetary rewards are not a one size fits all kind of thing."

Related:How Praising Employees Can Help Your Business Thrive

Remember, rewards are add-ons, not the whole package. "You don't want to fall into the trap of thinking that rewards can do everything for you," Larkin

says. "Management is much more important than the design of an incentive program." Talk to people, understand their needs, and give them

opportunities to grow and take ownership. Ultimately, those efforts will be much more motivating.

3. Focus on the means as well as the end. If getting a bonus is the primary goal, employees will start taking short-cuts. "If the activity is an

instrument to the reward, then they'll try to do it as easily as they can," Deci says. At the extreme, think of Enron employees's shenanigans or Wall

Street brokers selling bad mortgages.

Praising Effort or AchievementThere are two things for which you can offer praise: effort or achievement. The results of these can be quite di fferent

Praising achievementTo praise achievement, the teacher praises the completion of something or achievement of some standard.

To praise achievement, a teacher may say something like:

Well done, you have completed the work.

I'm pleased with your progress.

You have achieved full marks. That's great!

This uses a traditionalconditioningapproach, pairing the praise with an event. Praise makes them feel good when they think of achievement.

It is important to remember different ability levels and that a real achievement for one student may be a poor showing for a more ablestudent. The use of praise for achievement should reflect this.

A danger of praising achievement is that students then evaluate future work as 'return on investment' as they may see the pleasure ofachievement as not being worth the pain of the effort required to get there.

Praising achievement publicly, can be a problem in a mixed class where lower achievers compare themselves with higher achievers and soare less motivated by praise for their poorer achievement. This can lead to students valuing praise less, and also seeing the teacher asoffering false praise in 'trying to motivate them'. The result can bereactivedemotivation that actually decreases performance. If this mayhappen, it may be better to praise achievement privately.

Praising effortIn praising effort, the teacher praises the amount of work that the student has done, regardless of the achievement.

To praise effort, a teacher may say something like:

Well done, you've worked really hard on that.
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I like the way you've put in extra effort.

I can see you've spent a lot of time and thought on this. That's very good.

Effort is the process, achievement is the outcome. Children spend their time in the effort, and so this is what they can change. Theachievement is the result of the effort.

The most important thing that any student can do is to make their best efforts at all times. This is the way that they will achieve their

potential. Not everyone is a high achiever, but everyone can do their best.

Praise for effort is hence encouraging what you really want.

A problem with praising effort alone is that students may feel they deserve praise for a good mark, or even better than last time. If they areonly praised for effort, they may end up putting effort into the appearance of effort while losing sight of the end goal of achievement.

Linking effort and achievementThere are positives to both effort and achievement, and if these can be linked, then students can be motivated both to work hard and keeptheir eyes on the final prize.

A way to do this is to show how effort causesachievement. It says 'if you do this, you will get that'.

Ways of linking effort to achievement include saying things like:

If you keep trying like that you'll do really well.

All your hard work has paid off with a great result. Well done.

I like the thought you put into that. It is clear that this has led to a very interesting piece of work.

In linking effort and achievement, it is important to find the right balance of praise for both effort and achievement that creates the right

motivation for future work.

DiscussionA key purpose of praise is to create effectiveattribution, which is effectively cause-and-effect thinking where the student attributes successto hard work. Praising success alone makes it desirable but does not lead to attribution.

When a student is contemplating work, they need to both feel good about the work they are doing and also set off in the right direction,keeping their eyes on the final achievement. Bringing both into praise helps this.

This approach is not only pertinent to teaching and can be used in any motivational situation, from business managers who want to motivateemployees to parents encouraging their children.

Reinforcement Theory of Motivation

Reinforcement theory of motivation was proposed by BF Skinner and his associates. It states that individuals behaviouris a function of its consequences. It i s based on law ofeffect, i.e, individuals behaviour with positive consequences tends to be repeated, but individuals behaviour with negative consequences tends not to be repeated.

Reinforcement theory of motivation overlooks the internal state of individual, i.e., the inner feelings and drives of individuals are ignored by Skinner. This theory focuses totallyon what happens to an individual when he takes some action. Thus, according to Skinner, the external environment of the organization must be designed effectively andpositively so as to motivate the employee. This theory is a strong tool for analyzing controlling mechanism for individuals behaviour. However, it does not focus on the causes ofindividuals behaviour.

The managers use the following methods for controlling the behaviour of the employees:

Positive Reinforcement- This implies giving a positive response when an individual

shows positive and required behaviour. For example - Immediately praising an

employee for coming early for job. This will increase probability of outstanding

behaviour occurring again. Reward is a positive reinforce, but not necessarily. If and

only if the employees behaviour improves, reward can said to be a positive

reinforcer. Positive reinforcement stimulates occurrence of a behaviour. It must be

noted that more spontaneous is the giving of reward, the greater reinforcement value

it has.

Negative Reinforcement- This implies rewarding an employee by removing

negative / undesirable consequences. Both positive and negative reinforcement can

be used for increasing desirable / required behaviour.
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Punishment- It implies removing positive consequences so as to lower the

probability of repeating undesirable behaviour in future. In other words, punishment

means applying undesirable consequence for showing undesirable behaviour. For

instance - Suspending an employee for breaking the organizational rules.

Punishment can be equalized by positive reinforcement from alternative source.

Extinction- It implies absence of reinforcements. In other words, extinction implies

lowering the probability of undesired behaviour by removing reward for that kind of

behaviour. For instance - if an employee no longer receives praise and admiration for

his good work, he may feel that his behaviour is generating no fruitful consequence.

Extinction may unintentionally lower desirable behaviour.

Implications of Reinforcement Theory

Reinforcement theory explains in detail how an individual learns behaviour. Managers who are making attempt to motivate the employees must ensure that they do not rewardall employees simultaneously. They must tell the employees what they are not doing correct. They must tell the employees how they can achieve positive reinforcement.

Herzbergs Two-Factor Theory of MotivationIn 1959, Frederick Herzberg, a behavioural scientist proposed a two-factor theory or the motivator-hygiene theory. According to Herzberg, there are some job factors that resultin satisfaction while there are other job factors that prevent dissatisfaction. According to Herzberg, the opposite of Satisfaction is No satisfaction and the opposite ofDissatisfaction is No Dissatisfaction.

FIGURE: Herzbergs view of satisfaction and dissatisfaction

Herzberg classified these job factors into two categories-

a. Hygiene factors- Hygiene factors are those job factors which are essential for existence of motivation at workplace. These do not lead to positive satisfaction for

long-term. But if these factors are absent / if these factors are non-existant at workplace, then they lead to dissatisfaction. In other words, hygiene factors are thosefactors which when adequate/reasonable in a job, pacify the employees and do not make them dissatisfied. These factors are extrinsic to work. Hygiene factorsare also called asdissatisfiers or maintenance factors as they are required to avoid dissatisfaction. These factors describe the job environment/scenario. Thehygiene factors symbolized the physiological needs which the individuals wanted and expected to be fulfilled. Hygiene factors include:

Pay - The pay or salary structure should be appropriate andreasonable. It must be equal and competitive to those in thesame industry in the same domain.

Company Policies and administrative policies - The companypolicies should not be too rigid. They should be fair and clear. Itshould include flexible working hours, dress code, breaks,vacation, etc.

Fringe benefits - The employees should be offered health care


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plans (mediclaim), benefits for the family members, employeehelp programmes, etc.

Physical Working conditions - The working conditions should besafe, clean and hygienic. The work equipments should beupdated and well-maintained.

Status - The employees status within the organization should be

familiar and retained.

Interpersonal relations - The relationship of the employees withhis peers, superiors and subordinates should be appropriate andacceptable. There should be no conflict or humiliation elementpresent.

Job Security - The organization must provide job security to theemployees.

b. Motivational factors- According to Herzberg, the hygiene factors cannot be regarded asmotivators. The motivational factors yield positive satisfaction. These factors are inherent to work.These factors motivate the employees for a superior performance. These factors are calledsatisfiers. These are factors involved in performing the job. Employees find these factors

intrinsically rewarding. The motivators symbolized the psychological needs that were perceivedas an additional benefit. Motivational factors include:

Recognition - The employees should be praised and recognized for theiraccomplishments by the managers.

Sense of achievement - The employees must have a sense of achievement. Thisdepends on the job. There must be a fruit of some sort in the job.

Growth and promotional opportunities - There must be growth and advancementopportunities in an organization to motivate the employees to perform well.

Responsibility - The employees must hold themselves responsible for the work. Themanagers should give them ownership of the work. They should minimize control butretain accountability.

Meaningfulness of the work - The work itself should be meaningful, interesting andchallenging for the employee to perform and to get motivated.

Limitations of Two-Factor Theory

The two factor theory is not free from limitations:

1. The two-factor theory overlooks situational variables.2. Herzberg assumed a correlation between satisfaction and productivity. But the research

conducted by Herzberg stressed upon satisfaction and ignored productivity.3. The theorys reliability is uncertain. Analysis has to be made by the raters. The raters may spoil

the findings by analyzing same response in different manner.4. No comprehensive measure of satisfaction was used. An employee may find his job acceptable

despite the fact that he may hate/object part of his job.5. The two factor theory is not free from bias as it is based on the natural reaction of employees

when they are enquired the sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction at work. They will blamedissatisfaction on the external factors such as salary structure, company policies and peerrelationship. Also, the employees will give credit to themselves for the satisfaction factor at work.

6. The theory ignores blue-collar workers. Despite these limitations, Herzbergs Two-Factor theory isacceptable broadly.


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Implications of Two-Factor Theory

The Two-Factor theory implies that the managers must stress upon guaranteeing the

adequacy of the hygiene factors to avoid employee dissatisfaction. Also, the

managers must make sure that the work is stimulating and rewarding so that the

employees are motivated to work and perform harder and better. This theory

emphasize upon job-enrichment so as to motivate the employees. The job must

utilize the employees skills and competencies to the maximum. Focusing on the

motivational factors can improve work-quality.

Equity Theory of Motivation

The core of the equity theory is the principle of balance or equity. As per this motivation theory, an individuals motivation level is correlated to his perception of equity, fairnessand justice practiced by the management. Higher is individuals perception of fairness, greater is the motivation level and v ice versa. While evaluating fairness, employeecompares the job input (in terms of contribution) to outcome (in terms of compensation) and also compares the same with that of another peer of equal cadre/category. D/I ratio(output-input ratio) is used to make such a comparison.

EQUITY THEORY

Ratio Comparison Perception

O/I a < O/I b Under-rewarded (Equity Tension)

O/I a = O/I b Equity

O/I a > O/I b Over-rewarded (Equity Tension)

Negative Tension state:Equity is perceived when this ratio is equal. While if this ratio is unequal, it leads to equity tension. J.Stacy Adams called this a negative tension statewhich motivates him to do something right to relieve this tension. A comparison has been made between 2 workers A and B to un derstand this point.

Referents: The four comparisons an employee can make have been termed as referents according to Goodman. The referent chosen is a significant variable in equity theory.These referents are as follows:

Self-inside: An employees experience in a different position inside his presentorganization.

Self-outside: An employees experience in a situation outside the presentorganization.

Other-inside: Another employee or group of employees inside the employeespresent organization.


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Other-outside: Another employee or employees outside the employees presentorganization.

Expectancy Theory of MotivationThe expectancy theory was proposed by Victor Vroom of Yale School of Management in 1964. Vroom stresses and focuses on outcomes, and not on needs unlike Maslow andHerzberg. The theory states that the intensity of a tendency to perform in a particular manner is dependent on the intensity of an expectation that the performance will befollowed by a definite outcome and on the appeal of the outcome to the individual.

The Expectancy theorystates that employees motivation is an outcome of how much an individual wants a reward (Valence), the assessment that the likelihood that the effortwill lead to expected performance (Expectancy) and the belief that the performance will lead to reward (Instrumentality). In short,Valence is the significance associated by anindividual about the expected outcome. It is an expected and not the actual satisfaction that an employee expects to receive after achieving the goals. Expectancy is the faiththat better efforts will result in better performance. Expectancy is influenced by factors such as possession of appropriate skills for performing the job, availability of rightresources, availability of crucial information and getting the required support for completing the job.

Motivational theory in practice at Tesco

Tesco began in 1919 with one man, Jack Cohen, a market stall-holder selling groceries in London. TESCO was

formed out of a merger with T.E. Stockwell from whom he purchased tea for sale

on the stall. The first store opened in 1929.

Tesco has discovered that it is important to create trust and respect. It has found that by valuing employees,

providing realistic goals and an interesting environment for them to work in, it increases employees motivation. At

Tesco a motivated member ofstaff works in partnership with others to achieve individual and

team objectives. This means that he or she focuses on customers, treats people fairly and is determined and devoted

to receiving feedback from others.

Taylors motivational theory

In 1911 the engineer Frederick Taylor published one of the earliest motivational theories. According to Taylors

research, people worked purely for money. In the early years of the car assembly industry, work on a production line

was based on producing quantity and was repetitive. Workers were paid piece rate, that is, paid for every item

produced. This approach of paying workers by results was good for the business. The outcome was greater

production but gave little opportunity, encouragement or time for employees to think for themselves or be creative

in what they did. This limited peoples development and their use within the company.Tescos Employee Reward

Programme has some similarity to Taylors theory. Its financial reward packages are one motivating factor.However, there are factors other than money which motivate people in both their personal and working lives. Tesco

goes far beyond Taylor and gives more than just simple pay increases. It supports the varied lifestyles of individual

employees through relevant and targeted benefits. Many non-financial factors can and do motivate employees to

improve their output. One such factor may be the desire to serve people; others may be to improve personal skills or

achieve promotion. A person may be motivated to be a professional footballer not because of the salary but because

they love football.


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Employees are more motivated if they feel content in their work. This often happens when their employer creates a

good working environment where employees feel valued, generally through increased communication and being

asked for their opinions. Employee motivation is also likely to be higher if the organization invests in its staff

through training and development. In turn this enhances their knowledge, skills and their sense of job satisfaction.

Every year Tesco invites its staff to take part in a staff satisfaction survey called Viewpoint which gives them the

opportunity to express their views on almost every aspect of their job. The results from the survey help Tesco make

sure it is offering the right things to its staff to keep them motivated. Some of the benefits available to staff include:

Lifestyle break this offers 4-12 weeks off work and guarantees the job back at the end

Career break this allows staff between 6 months and 5 years away from work with right of return

Pension scheme this award-winning scheme provides clearly defined long term benefits.

TESCO REWARDS FOR HARD WORK INCLUDE:Free sharesafter one years service

Save AsYou Earn sharesavailable in a high interest account

Pension scheme providing equal contributionsfrom the company

Employee discount card

Christmasor pay slip vouchers

Private healthcare - free or at special ratesdepending on level

Gym membership

Holiday discounts

Contract-free phones with

Herzberg Two Factory Theory at TESCO:


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If praising employees for doing a good job seems to be fairly easy and

obvious motivational tool, why do you think companies and managers dont

often do it?

Expert: Susan Athena

Praising employees seems to be an obvious motivational tool. However, there are a few

blocks that keep managers from using praise more often.

First, praise is given casually and subjectively. Managers favor more concrete performance

objectives, with review goals or accomplishments. Praising employees for a job well done

may seem infantile or overly personal, as if it was a personal judgment rather than a

professional one. Managers may also fear the charge of favoritism. If there is no way to

issue praise to employees equally, it may create awkwardness or discord if one employee

seems to be favored.

Bonuses, salary increases, and other motivators tend to be private rather than public.

However, praise is most effective when given publicly. Again, managers may not want to

praise employees publicly because of possible resentments from others.

Organizations tend to focus on motivators that are more concrete, such as salary, bonuses,

titles, and "perks" like company cars, expense accounts, and increased prestige. Motivators

in HR generally do not focus (enough) on employees' inherent desire to do a good job or to

have their contributions valued.

If I were a manager, I would issue verbal or emailed praise to employees on successful

completion of projects. If the praise is done in a private setting, it is less likely to seem

"touchy feely" and more likely to be construed as a professional judgment.

Keeping the praise factual will help to alleviate legal concerns. For example, one problem

with praising employees is that if the employee then needs to be let go, fired, or even

censured, the praise may form a legal document showing good quality performance in the

past. Keeping praise professional, factual, and not going overboard with it will help to deal

with these concerns.


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PRAISING STUDENTS FOR LEARNING

In some situations, the performance of a skill or behavior itself provides an individual with

direct re-inforcement (Stipek, 2002). A 5-year-old who successfully ties her shoes and an

adolescent who beats his highest score on a video game have immediate feedback about

mastery of their skills. In other situations, reinforcement of an individuals performance

requires social input. Knowing that your batting swing has improved, your term paper is

persuasive, or your homework assignment is correct requires feedback from an adult. In

these cases, praise,or positive feedback in the form of written or spoken comments, is

useful for providing individuals with feedback.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Praise

Praise is widely recommended as a reinforcement method because it is free and has the

potential to pro-vide encouragement and enhance self-esteem (Brophy, 1981). Praise also

may have positive effects partly because it is unexpected, leading students to believe that

they genuinely have done something praise-worthy (Brophy, 1981; Deci et al., 1999a).

However, like the tangible rewards discussed earlier, praise can enhance or undermine

intrinsic motivation depending on how it is given and how it is perceived. Before discussing

the effects of praise on intrinsic motivation, we should distinguish two forms of praise:

Encouragementis feedback given to help an individual improve, such as I like the details

in your essay. Researchers refer to this form of praise as informational. It tells students

what they have done well and what to do the next time they write an essay.

Evaluative praiseis a favorable judgment about an individuals performance or behavior,

such as Youre the best writer in the class. Researchers refer to this form of praise as

controlling. The teachers favorable evaluation, rather than students intrinsic interest or

self-evaluation, controls their motivation. Students work to receive another favorable

evaluation.Informational praise tends to enhance intrinsic motivation, while controlling forms of praise

undermine intrinsic motivation. Because informational praise provides feedback about

students com-petence, it enhances their intrinsic motivation, leading to increased interest,

more positive attitudes about the activity, and a greater likelihood of choosing the activity

during free time (Cameron, 2001; Deci et al., 1999a). Positive feedback given using


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controlling language, such as shouldand ought, tends to undermine intrinsic motivation

(Kast & Connor, 1988; Ryan et al., 1983). An example is Thank you for turning in neat

homework. You should keep up the good effort. Controlling language also can undermine

motivation even when teachers are attempting to give students encouragement (Deci et al.,

1999a; Ryan et al., 1983). An example is Good job. You followed the instructions this

time! In developmental terms, praise has a limited window of effectiveness. Children

younger than age seven interpret praise as affirmation that they are pleasing authority

figures, rather than as feedback about their performance (Brophy, 1981). Elementary school

students tend to benefit from praise be-cause they come to realize that praise should occur

only after certain types of behavior, such as com-pliance and academic success. By the time

students reach high school, however, they interpret praise from the teacher as an indication

of low ability (Meyer et al., 1979).

Praise may also benefit some students more than others because of the way they perceive

the praise.

Students with an external locus of controla belief that teacher praise is caused by

external fac-tors (teachers attitude or liking of them) rather than internal factors (ones

own success)are more receptive to praise (Brophy, 1981).

Lower-achieving students and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds tend to

benefit academically from praise. Students who are more likely to be discouraged

academically may interpret teacher praise as more meaningful (Brophy, 1981).

Girls may benefit less from praise than boys, because they tend to perceive praise as

controlling even when the praise is relatively ambiguous with respect to its informational or

controlling quali-ties (Kast & Connor, 1988; Koestner, Zuckerman, & Koestner, 1987).


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Applications: Using Praise Effectively

Teachers appropriate use of praise can encourage students to focus on the intrinsic value of

learning. Jere Brophy (1981) provides many suggestions, shown in Table 15.1, for using

praise in ways that do not hinder intrinsic motivation. To use praise effectively, keep in

mind these guidelines:

Make praise specifi c to the particular behavior being reinforced. Teachers should refrain

from using vague phrases such as Nice work, Good job, or Youre so smart! Instead,

they should specifi-cally identify what is goodabout the behavior. Specific praise is more

credible and is informational, providing feedback about students performance. Also,

praising children and adolescents for being smart leads them to believe that learning is

about looking smart and not making mistakes (Dweck, 1999). These children believe

intelligence to be innate and fixed, and they experience lowered moti-vation when they are


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confronted with failure.Be sure praise is sincere.Teacher praise must be credible in order for

students to believe that their performance is praise-worthy. Praise undermines intrinsic

motivation when teachers:

praise everyone, because students are not likely to attribute praise to anything special

(Brophy, 1981);

praise students for easy tasks, because students see the praise as undeserved (Marzano,

Pickering, & Pollack, 2005). They perceive praise for performing an easy task as an

indication of low ability (Miller & Hom, 1997; Weiner, 1990).

Give praise that is contingent on the behavior to be reinforced. When teachers give praise

that is contingent on success, students interpret it as feedback that success has been

achieved (Brophy, 1981; OLeary & OLeary, 1977). However, teacher praise is often

noncontingent, and therefore inconsistent.

Teachers tend to give praise for success relatively infrequently, only about 10% of the time,

suggesting that they do not consistently offer praise despite observing many examples of

successful performance in their students (Brophy, 1981). Teachers may also shift their

criteria for success, leading them to praise a student for a certain achievement on one

occasion and not on another (Mehan, 1974). Teach-ers also sometimes praise incorrect

responses in addition to correct responses (Anderson, Evertson, & Brophy, 1979). For

example, teachers gave similar praise to students whose oral reading was error-less and to

students whose reading contained mistakes. Think of some instances when you have been

praised. Did the praise increase your intrinsic motivation or decrease it? Why do you think

this happened?

PRAISE EXAMPLE IN VIRGIN GROUP OF COMPANIES

4TH QUARTER 1998

How Richard Branson Works Magic

While being interviewed for this article, for example, Mr. Branson was vacationing onhis private Caribbean island, called Necker. Along with him for his sojourn, he had

brought 20 employees from various Virgin companies. And these were not senior

executives, but the rank and file -- a housekeeper from Johannesburg, a switchboard

operator, a reservations clerk, a pilot -- who were invited because of excellent

performance. This is a regular perk for Virgin employees, and Mr. Branson, rather

than feeling intruded upon, delights in the company.


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"The idea is to have fun, but by talking to employees, you learn a lot as well," he says.

Reminded that it is the rare chief executive who takes employees along on vacation,

Mr. Branson laughs and says, "I can assure you, it's no sacrifice." But it sends a

powerful message and creates enviable loyalty in his growing work force. In fact,

Virgin employees are as likely to say they "work for Richard" as

for Virgin.

Mr. Branson also hosts an annual summer party for all Virgin

employees at his country home outside London. This year the

party lasted seven days, and more than 25,000 employees and

family members attended. Nearly all were greeted at the door by

Mr. Branson, who is likely to be the first in the swimming pool.

He also attends as many orientations for new staff as possible in

order to set the tone and send the message. "I say: 'Get out there and have a good time.

Really enjoy yourself, because most of your life is spent working, and you ought to

have a great time doing it.' It's much nicer paying the bills when everybody is having a

good time."

And all the while, Mr. Branson is Virgin's most enthusiastic cheerleader, offering

constant praise to employees for their efforts. He recalls how his mother and father

always looked for the best in their children, and he does that now with his own son

and daughter. "I will praise, praise, praise," he says, "and only criticize if they are

going to kill themselves crossing the road. People know when they've done things

wrong; they don't need to be told. When I write my letters to employees, you'll never

see a line of criticism."

In Praise Of Praise

http://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2013/02/09/in-praise-of-praise/

In the business world, praise is powerful and underutilized. From a management perspective, it requires minimaleffort and no cost yet can be a highly effective motivator.

Studies repeatedly show that a sizable percentage of the work force is disengaged not committed to their employerand therefore not highly productive. (A recentDale Carnegie National Survey, for example, placed the number of

engaged employees at 29% and disengaged employees at 26%, with the rest somewhere in the middle meaning

that, for a variety of reasons, barely over one-quarter of employees are working at full productive capacity.)

Recognition of course can take many forms: It can be monetary, it can be a formal

performance-related program, or it can be simple words of praise or encouragement
http://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2013/02/09/in-praise-of-praise/http://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2013/02/09/in-praise-of-praise/http://www.dalecarnegie.com/imap/white_papers/employee_engagement_white_paper/http://www.dalecarnegie.com/imap/white_papers/employee_engagement_white_paper/http://www.dalecarnegie.com/imap/white_papers/employee_engagement_white_paper/http://www.dalecarnegie.com/imap/white_papers/employee_engagement_white_paper/http://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2013/02/09/in-praise-of-praise/


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from a manager. Companies tend to spend a great deal of time setting up fairly

complicated recognition programs but my own perspective is that what is really

needed are well-trained managers who provide praise, where appropriate, on a regular

basis.

Naturally praise shouldnt be dispensed carelessly when not deserved. That helps no

one and only undermines managerial credibility. But again, in my experience the

business issue was never too much praise, but too little.

Following are four extraordinarily simple reasons why it doesnt pay for management to be

parsimonious with praise.

1. It costs nothing. Unlike many bonus programs, which can have a huge price tag (and of

course are highly valued too), the cost of verbal praise is always the same: zero dollars and

zero cents.

2. It requires little effort. Thank you, Great job, I really appreciated your work on that

project take less than 10 seconds to say. Maybe at most a couple minutes when you

include some related follow-up conversation. (Again, my assumption of course is that the

praise is deserved or you wouldnt be giving it.) In any event, a most modest investment of

managerial time and energy.

3. It makes employees feel good. Always preferable from a productivity standpoint to have

employees feeling good, and not underappreciated and resentful.

4. When employees feel good, they work harder. Feeling valued is effective motivator

positive morale raises energy levels right away.

Hey, I never said this was rocket science: The fact that its so fundamental, and the benefits

so greatly outweigh the costs, make it so surprising that organizations get it so consistentlywrong. (See Dale Carnegie study cited above.) Study after study show that the single most

important factor influencing employee engagement levels is an employees relationship with

his or her direct supervisor. Given this reality, the quality of that relationship is of crucial

importance.


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However the relationship develops, and regardless of the nature of the business, its in

everyones interest to make thoughtful praise a key component of the managerial mix.

Praising employees: Four surefire ways to screw it up

Employee praise doesnt sound like it should be that hard. If employees are really doing a

good job, finding ways to communicate that message should be simple.

Yet many efforts to praise employees dont have the desired effect. In fact, they can erode

your credibility as a manager and make employees feel less valued than if youd just kept

quiet.

So where do managers go wrong? Lets look at four common examples:

Number One: Talking down to people

Some comments might seem innocuous on the surface. Jane, you did a great job solving

that customers problem. But what if the speaker used to be Janes peer and is now her

manager? It could sound like the speaker just wanted to reinforce her own status, rather

than make Jane feel good.

Number Two: Manipulating people

Wow, Joe, you did a terrific job on that design project. How would you like to do another

one in time for next weeks meeting? Sure, it sounds like praise, but to Joe, it might seem

like youre trying to goad him into additional work.

Number Three: Setting up a reprimand

If youre going to give some form of negative feedback, dont try to cushion it with half-

hearted praise. Telling someone Youre doing good work, but you need to be more

respectful of others ideas doesnt soften the blow. All the employee is likely to hear is the

reprimand.

Number Four: Disingenuous praise

This one is by far the most damaging to managers. Imagine an employee hands you a

report he threw together at the last minute. Its mediocre work, and he knows it. But you

have other things on your mind, and so you tell him, Great job.


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He knows better. If youre lucky, hes thinking he just got away with something and is very

clever. In that case, you just look like an idiot. But if hes a dedicated performer, he feels

blown off, as though his work wasnt important enough to register on your radar. That

feeling of insignificance can irrevocably damage your relationship with that employee.

"Why Employee Praise Can Backfire And How to Do It Right"

Making it work

So what should you do to make sure that when you praise an employee, it comes across as

smart, sincere, and motivational?

Praise works when you:

1. Invest the time required to decide that what the person did was indeed praiseworthy.

When that employee hands you the report, take the time to study it before saying its well-

done (if in fact it is).

2. Give specific examples of what pleased you. Joe, I especially liked the way you solved

the design challenge in the clients outer lobby. Thats a tough space to do much with, and

you figured out a way to make it both useable and attractive.

3. Show that you get the persons talent. Jane, its amazing how you manage to keep up

with developments in such a fast-moving market. You must have a real gift for research.

If you praise your employees this way, youll help them feel more valuable and encourage

them to give additional discretionary effort making both themselves and you look good.

Spreading praise like peanut butterBY STEPHEN J. MEYERON FEBRUARY 25, 2010

Theres no question that some managers are stingy about praise and need to be reminded

to give more of it. It may even be true that there is a praise deficit in most organizations.

But spreading praise like peanut butter throughout the organization is not the answer.

Praise, unfortunately, isnt as simple as it sounds.

Example: What does it mean when youre talking to your boss and he looks at his watch

and says, This has been an interesting conversation; keep up the good work?
http://rapidlearninginstitute.com/author/smeyer/http://rapidlearninginstitute.com/author/smeyer/http://rapidlearninginstitute.com/author/smeyer/http://rapidlearninginstitute.com/author/smeyer/


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Does it mean he thinks youre a fascinating person and a high-value employee? Or that hes

eager to get back to work? It could be the latter. The boss used praise to get you out of

his office.

Another example: In a meeting you present an idea and the leader says, Joe thats a great

idea. Maybe we can get back to it later. The leader praised your idea, right? Not likely.

Sounds more like she thought your idea was off-target and didnt want it to disrupt her

meeting.

So there are two examples of how managers used praise to do the precise opposite of

praise. And guess what? Employees will spot it every time you deliver praise the wrong way.

EXAMPLE OF PRAISING THEIR EMPLOYEES

2012sAmerican National Best and Brightest Winners Praise Their MostValuable Asset Employees

Henry Ford Health System, FONA International Inc., Southwest Michigan First, Anteo Group,

Andy J. Egan Company, Arrow Strategies, Assurance, BGT Partners, Blinds.com, Care

Communications Inc., City of Atlanta, Dean's Professional Services, Donlen, Easter Seals

Michigan, Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals, Epitec Inc., Ernst & Young, Ernst &

Young, Express Employment Professionals, Fifth Third Bank Eastern Michigan, Greeley and

Hansen LLC, Greenleaf Trust, GTECH Services Inc., Hitachi Consulting, Honigman Miller

Schwartz and Cohn LLP, Milhouse Engineering & Construction, Inc., OpTech LLC, Plante

Moran PLLC, Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP, Milhouse Engineering & Construction,

Inc., OpTech LLC, Plante Moran PLLC, Plex Systems Inc., Soil and Materials Engineers Inc.

(SME), Radio Flyer, Skanska, Valassis, Valley Oak, Verizon Wireless, VW Credit Inc., Wesco,

YMCA of Metro Atlanta.

EXAMPLE

When asked for the secret of his success in the steel industry, American industrialist Charles

Schwab (1862-1939) always talked about using praise, not criticism, giving liberal bonuses

for work well done, and "appeal[ing] to the American spirit of conquest in my men, the

spirit of doing things better than anyone has ever done them before."


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Tony Simons notes; employees focus substantial attention on their managers partly

because they depend on them for rewards, promotions, favourable assignments, resources

and the like. (Reference: Simons, T. (2002). Behavioral integrity: the perceived alignment

between managers words and deeds as a research focus, Organization Science, vol. 13,

no. 1.)

How to praise your people and increase profitsPosted by Stephen Lynch on Wed, Sep 26, 2012 @ 06:25 AM

Pavlov was onto something with his dogs. Praise and recognition is the bell that drives

human behavior. Saying, Thank you- is a universal concept with an underlying definition

that means, Please repeat that specific behavior again. A survey of more than 200,000

managers and employees over a 10-year period showed that purpose-based recognition is

a proven way to engage your employees, reduce staff turnover, boost productivity, and

increase customer satisfaction.

Whats more, the study shows that companies who effectively praise and recognize their

staff are much more profitable. Organizations that scored in the lowest 25% for recognition

had an average Return on Equity of just 2.4 percent, whereas those that scored in the top

25% had an average ROE (Return On Equity) more than 3 times higher!

To create the best results, praise and recognition will be most effective when it meets the

following criteria:

Make it Positive.

Remembering a persons past negative behaviors and speaking about how much better they

have become is not recommended (e.g. You used to a real pain in the ass to work with, but

youve been a lot nicer to be around lately). Giving praise and recognition is not the time to

bring up past errors. For your praise to have maximum effect, just point out their positive

behaviors. (e.g. I really appreciate the effort you made to engage with the team at the

meeting today. It was nice to see you smiling and taking an interest in

How to Use Praise to Lead

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