Provoking Greatness by Misti Burmeister

Author:Misti Burmeister [Burmeister, Misti]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Synergy Press
Published: 2015-06-30T17:00:00+00:00

Don’t Forget the Power of Praise

The vast majority of us were never shown how to appreciate and validate others, for fear of giving them a “big head.”

As Tony Schwartz, president and CEO of the Energy Project, puts it, “We’re not fluent in the language of positive emotions in the workplace. We’re so unaccustomed to sharing them that we don’t feel comfortable doing so. Heartfelt appreciation is a muscle we’ve not spent much time building, or felt encouraged to build.”[34]

Yet research shows that when used correctly, praise is an incredibly effective tool for motivating employees and provoking greatness. Managers who focus on employee strengths are 30 times more likely to manage actively engaged workers than managers who deny feedback.[35] And companies that effectively appreciate employees and leave them feeling valued receive a return on equity and assets more than triple that experienced by other firms.[36]

Talk about making the case for kindness!

Some people understand the value of praise better than others. Over a recent dinner with Jim Young, a sales manager for Google, I listened closely as he told about the system his company has in place to acknowledge team members who go above and beyond for customers.

Jim explained. “For example, if someone drives several hours and stays longer to ensure the job gets done, I submit a form that specifically articulates what the person did and why I think it’s worthy of a cash reward. Within 24 hours, an executive has accepted my request to reward the staff member, and a check is cut immediately.”

“Wow!” I said. “How many of these small checks have you cashed?”

His response was so wise and inspiring that it has stayed with me: “I’ve received my fair share, but I’ve given far more than I’ve received.”

What if we all took Jim’s approach to feedback? What if instead of asking, “Don’t they see how hard I work?” we asked, “Who is really doing a great job, and how can I acknowledge them for their efforts?”

What if the old adage that “you get what you give” is true? Would you consider giving other people the very thing most of us want more of—a few kind words and recognition for their successes, regardless of your position or theirs? Maybe instead of saying, “I want them to work harder,” you’d say, “I’m going to work harder at acknowledging them.”

Imagine how much different the business world would be if every leader—and every employee—started thinking that way, and made an intentional effort to not only point out when their people have room to grow, but also when they’ve done great work.

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