Praise and Appreciation
Praise and appreciation
Management skills: motivation: social motivators: Praise and appreciation
At work, have you ever heard people say, "The bosses soon tell us when things have gone wrong, but they never appreciate us when things have gone right"?
And have you ever heard anyone complain that their family "does not appreciate them"? Probably yes.
The lack of appreciation is a common complaint.
The lack of appreciation is sometimes the cause of conflict
It is important to realise that at work, money is not the only motivator.
Many managers are under the erroneous notion that people work for money.
Sure. People DO work for money; but people don't ONLY work for money. Money is not the only motivator.
Other than money, why do people work?
People work for many reasons other than money. In fact there are many millionaires who have sufficient money to last a life time, and so don't need to work for money, but they still go work. They get up early and they stay up late. And it is not for the money.
You don't think Steven Spielberg continues to make movies because he needs the money, do you? He has sufficient money to live on. Spielberg makes movies for reasons other than money, wouldn't you agree?
People work for things other than money. Money is not the only motivator.
People are motivated by the social motivators.
What are the Social motivators?
Here are the social motivators:
- Recognition for a job well done
- Praise
- Appreciation
- Thanks
I want to suggest to you that you should liberally dish out, the social motivators to people in your sphere of influence.
I want to suggest to you that you should never neglect to give recognition for a job well done; never neglect to praise a person when they have made good progress. Never neglect to give your honest appreciation and praise when someone's work has proven to be a value.
I know they are paid to do it. But in addition to the money, would you please, add on kind words?
Kind words are motivators
There is much value contained in the habit of dishing out kind words to other people. Have you ever thought about that? Kind words are motivators.
- Kind words of appreciation
- Kind words of praise
- Kind words of thanks
It is surprising how much motivation can be created as a result of just a few well-chosen and well timed, kind words.
Kind words of appreciation are like magic.
Kind words of appreciation are a kind of psychic mind food that everyone craves. And if people are starved of their ration of kind words; appreciation, praise and thanks, then they lose all their motivation to continue. If you do give out the right amount of mind food, in the form of kind words; appreciation, praise and thanks, then they will put more of their heart and soul into working harder.
On the other hand, if you fail to give the appreciation, or worse, if you are in the habit of speaking to people harshly and with sarcasm or venom, then you will lose all their motivation to do their best work. They will instead do the minimum they can get away with, and they will mutter cynically under their breath, "They don't pay me enough to care!"
- Harsh words don't work well. They are negative motivators.
- Kind words do work well over the long term. They are positive motivators.
Would you please try to increase the amount of positive praise, appreciation and kind words you use in conversation with others, today.
Specifically get into the habit of saying, "Thank you very much. I appreciate it."
When the waitress serves you your coffee, say, "Thank you very much. I appreciate it."
When you colleague gives you the information you asked for, say, "Thank you very much. I appreciate it."
When the guard opens the barrier to let you out the car park, say, "Thank you very much. I appreciate it."
Please dish out as many kind words of praise and appreciation as you can, without it being too obvious. Nobody should consciously realise that they are being exposed to an increased level of kind words. But if you are subtle and relaxed and gently expose your team, family and customers to a constant stream of low level appreciation, then they will respond emotionally to you in a more positive way.
Remember everyone needs to hear kind words.
Everyone needs to hear appreciation praise and genuine thanks.
If you give them appreciation they will give your their best.
If you don't: they won't. Think about it.
Thank you, I appreciate it!
Definition: staff appreciation
In business, staff appreciation is a motivator that thanks people for good work with clear, kind words or small acts given soon after the task, to lift morale and drive more good work without using money.
Show CG4D Definition
- Shows open thanks for good work
- Uses clear, kind words or small acts
- Arrives soon after the work is done
- Aims to lift morale and spark more good work without money
Article Summary
When you say a clear, timely 'thank you' for good work, you give a gift that costs nothing yet beats money; praise and kind words light fresh energy, cut conflict and lift team spirit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
Why is money alone not enough to motivate staff?
What are social motivators at work?
How do kind words boost employee motivation?
When should I give praise to my team?
Can appreciation reduce workplace conflict?
How can leaders show daily staff appreciation without spending money?
What happens if managers use harsh words instead of praise?
Thought of something that's not been answered? Ask Us Today!
Did You Know: Key Statistics
Gallup’s 2024 State of the Global Workplace report finds that staff who feel recognised at least once a week are five times more likely to be engaged than those who receive recognition less often. Workhuman and Gallup’s "From Praise to Performance" 2024 study shows firms with strong recognition habits cut voluntary staff turnover by 40 percent.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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