Praise is sought by every one. Especially when one completes a task, accomplishes something or reaches a milestone. As a child, one loves to be praised by parents, elders and relatives. Praise gives a new energy to continue pushing for more. Praise makes one forget the travails and struggle one goes through to achieve the praiseworthy. Praise differentiates the winners from also-rans, achievers from mere attempters, attempters from non-attempters. Praise enhances self confidence and diminishes self-doubt.
The praise can come in different flavors. Some are generic praises such as 'great', 'good job', 'well done', 'keep it up' etc that can apply to any kind of achievement, accomplishment or triumph. Then there are specific praises that identify the action or item associated with the praise.
"You wrote the page amazingly well. Well done."
"You finished this project a month before schedule. Great. Keep it going."
"You have an amazing handwriting. I want to learn the trick. If you have time."
"Wow, what an amazing picture. I love it."
Such specific praise increases the impact. Especially in the case of children, it is more effective to provide specific praise rather than generic one. With specific praise, children identify more with the praise and get more motivated. It also applies to adult. For a tireless employee or a innovative manager, generic praise can make it seem commonplace. Praising specific accomplishments motivates people to identify more with the praise and cause of it. They want to perform better in other assignments to attain similar praise or fulfillment.
However selfless we pretend to be, if we do not receive any praise or recognition of our sincere effort, we tend to lose that energy. Even the hardcore self-motivated people find it frustrating at times to have nobody else recognizing their effort or accomplishment. Even a tiny remark of praise can drastically reduce this sense of frustration and alienation.
In a 2008 post, the Harvard Business Review website hbr.org identified praise as beneficial for the person receiving the praise as well as the person giving it. In the business and professional environment, praise is beneficial for all.
Keep praising and doing things that earn you sincere praise.
14 Jan 2019
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