“Good job!”
“Nice work!”
“I appreciate you!”
Blah, blah, blah – that really means nothing. These compliments are so broad and generic that the receiver may not know how to interpret them. In fact, they may think you are complimenting them on something that is different than your intention.
The best way to give praise is to provide the details. Let them know two things:
- The specific behavior that you are praising.
- The positive impact of that behavior.
Here are some examples of compliments that are specific and describe the positive impact:
- “I really appreciated the fact that you let me know you had published the wrong dates as soon as you realized it because it gave me the chance to proactively inform the team before it became an issue.”
- “Your presentation at the Board Meeting was the right blend of firmness about the new changes and empathy for those who are struggling with the change. This set us up well for the discussion that followed.”
- “Thanks for noticing I was overwhelmed today and stepping in to make the slides for me. By doing that you gave me a little breathing room to be able to address the unexpected problem I was dealing with. It helped me so much to know that the slides would still be ready on time because of your willingness to help.
Do you want more positivity in your life and on your team?
Take the 5-day Spread Joy Through Praise Challenge!
Simply provide a different colleague with praise every day for the next five working days! That is just one meaningful praise a day… and think of the positive energy you will bring to your relationships and team! Join the challenge – and let us know how it’s going at Better Teams Facebook Page.
About the Author: Leigh Ann Rodgers, Founder of Better Teams and Forward, is an IAF Certified Professional Facilitator with 20 years of experience in the human development field. Leigh Ann is a skilled meeting facilitator, trainer, and coach working across the globe to help leaders cultivate teams that are happy and high-performing.
Learn. Share. Practice. Move FORWARD. Join the Better Teams community, FORWARD, to network and grow with some of the most experienced professionals in the field of team building and facilitation. LEARN MORE
