A Lean Journey 
On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.
“The sweetest of all sounds is praise.” — Xenophon
Praise is one
of the most powerful things a leader can offer their team. When delivered well
(and well-deserved), praise gives people the drive and motivation to continue
doing the caliber of work you want to see.
of the most powerful things a leader can offer their team. When delivered well
(and well-deserved), praise gives people the drive and motivation to continue
doing the caliber of work you want to see.
Offering praise
to your employees is all about recognition. Most workers thrive on feeling
appreciated. As an employee, knowing that what you are doing means something to
your boss and to the entire business gives you a feeling of worth and it can
motivate you to continue to get better at what you do.
to your employees is all about recognition. Most workers thrive on feeling
appreciated. As an employee, knowing that what you are doing means something to
your boss and to the entire business gives you a feeling of worth and it can
motivate you to continue to get better at what you do.
The happier
your employees are working for you, the more engaged and productive they will
be. Receiving praise is empowering. It doesn’t cost you anything to
congratulate and praise your staff. However, not giving them credit when and
where credit is deserved can cost you big time.
your employees are working for you, the more engaged and productive they will
be. Receiving praise is empowering. It doesn’t cost you anything to
congratulate and praise your staff. However, not giving them credit when and
where credit is deserved can cost you big time.
It’s not always
easy to know when or how to praise people on your team. You only want to reward
great performance, and it’s easy for routines to make you blind to steady,
reliable work.
easy to know when or how to praise people on your team. You only want to reward
great performance, and it’s easy for routines to make you blind to steady,
reliable work.
The best
formula for recognizing an individual for their efforts is:
formula for recognizing an individual for their efforts is:
Thank the
person by name.
person by name.
Specifically
state what they did that is being recognized. It is vital to be specific
because it identifies and reinforces the desired behavior.
state what they did that is being recognized. It is vital to be specific
because it identifies and reinforces the desired behavior.
Explain how the
behavior made you feel (assuming you felt some pride or respect for their
accomplishment!).
behavior made you feel (assuming you felt some pride or respect for their
accomplishment!).
Point out the
value added to the team or organization by the behavior.
value added to the team or organization by the behavior.
Thank the
person again by name for their contribution.
person again by name for their contribution.
It might seem
like a lot, but really praising others and saying “thank you”
probably won’t take you much more energy in the day. Regularly putting a few
minutes toward making sure others feel properly acknowledged for their efforts
will go a long way to building the positive workplace you envision.
like a lot, but really praising others and saying “thank you”
probably won’t take you much more energy in the day. Regularly putting a few
minutes toward making sure others feel properly acknowledged for their efforts
will go a long way to building the positive workplace you envision.
There’s little
doubt that praising and recognizing the efforts and achievements of others can
bring about some very positive results in the workplace. Being praised makes
the recipient feel good about themselves and this can help to boost their
performance. Praise provides the kind of positive experience or ‘uplift’ that
can increase employees’ morale, motivation and engagement, and renew their
commitment to their manager and the organization.
doubt that praising and recognizing the efforts and achievements of others can
bring about some very positive results in the workplace. Being praised makes
the recipient feel good about themselves and this can help to boost their
performance. Praise provides the kind of positive experience or ‘uplift’ that
can increase employees’ morale, motivation and engagement, and renew their
commitment to their manager and the organization.
Leave a Comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *