Tips for Building Trust Through Genuine Praise

Too often, work goes unnoticed. But people want to be seen. A recent statistic had me thinking: 37% of employees claim that increased personal recognition would significantly enhance their work output. This insight comes from an O.C. Tanner survey, which leveraged 1.7 million responses from employees across various industries and company sizes. Beyond just feeling nice, recognition emerges as the most impactful driver of motivation. It makes real-time feedback, personal appreciation, and meaningful rewards not just nice-to-haves — they're must-haves to fuel performance. Here are concrete ways you can supercharge your recognition efforts to resonate deeply with your team: (1) Spotlight Specifics: Highlight specific achievements. Hilton’s Recognition Calendar equips managers with daily actionable ideas that turn recognizing real accomplishments into a routine practice. (2) Quick Kudos: Swift praise is so important. Timeliness in recognition makes it feel authentic and maintains high motivation levels. (3) Tailored Cheers: Personalize your appreciation. Crowe's "Recognize Alert" system enhances recognition by transforming client praises into celebratory moments, encouraging recipients to pay it forward. (4) Genuine Thank-Yous: Don't underestimate the power of small gestures. Regular acknowledgments, whether through handwritten notes or intranet shout-outs, create a culture where appreciation is commonplace. You do it, others will do it too. (5) Big Picture Praises: Connect individual achievements to the company’s larger mission. Texas Health Resources celebrates personal milestones with personalized yearbooks that link each person’s contributions to the organization’s goals. Using these practices genuinely and consistently can make every team member feel truly valued and more connected to the collective mission. Each act of recognition builds a stronger, more engaged team, poised to meet challenges and drive success. #Recognition #Appreciation #FeelingValued #Workplace #Culture #Innovation #HumanResources #Leadership Source: https://lnkd.in/e8jUtHZH

In my latest Principled Leader Newsletter, I shared the importance of following the principle: Give Praise and Show Appreciation.  This principle requires intentionality and commitment on the part of a leader. Strong organizations make their people feel seen and valued consistently. One of the ways this happens is through authentic praise. Acknowledge the act you are praising and provide evidence to support your comments. A simple “great job,” is not enough. If you want to see more of the same effort and outcomes, be specific. Traditional leadership models devalued praise and appreciation. They focused more on pushing employees or team members to give of themselves and not to expect accolades or “pats on the back.” This has led to burnout and in some cases, quiet quitting. Team members who do not feel valued or appreciated will seek new employment. It has been said that people do not quit bad jobs, they quit bad bosses. If you want the most from your team members, give them praise when it is earned. Do not wait for quarterly meetings or annual reviews. Immediate feedback gets results. Be specific and acknowledge the positive contributions in detail. 

🙌 The Power of Praise 👏 Giving praise seems simple, yet there are whole organizations where it rarely happens, and the impact is deadening. According to a Gallup Poll, employees who report not being adequately recognized at work are 3X more likely to say they'll quit in the next year. When people aren’t recognized, they wonder why they’re sticking with the job when nobody cares. It’s never just about money. People—all of us—simply want to be noticed and appreciated. Neuroscience research shows that when we hear something we like, it releases dopamine in our brains. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with joy, pride, satisfaction, and wellbeing. When you praise someone, not only does that person feel great, but it makes them to want to experience that feeling again. Giving praise cements good working habits and behavior, both chemically, and intellectually. Giving praise also reminds people that they 𝒅𝒐 have necessary skills, they 𝙖𝙧𝙚 experts in aspects of what they do. We’ve all got strengths, and if you point those out to people, you’re helping them rise to occasions where those skills will see them through. You’re helping them practice leadership. If all this comes of giving praise or credit where it’s due, why don't we do it more? A few reasons: 🔸 It feels awkward—if you don’t normally give praise, you might worry if it will sound genuine 🔸 You assume people already know they’re great—isn’t it obvious? 🔸 You want people to grow tough skins and not depend on praise. But what kind of culture are fostering if you don’t let people know when they’re doing things right? People are biased to remember the negative, so if there’s precious little positive to counteract criticism, the net result is stressful and oppressive. Praise is free, it doesn’t take much effort, and the impact is a more desirable workplace, happier employees, increased accountability, and more. Even when people say they don’t need acknowledgement, what they often mean is that they don’t want to have to 𝙖𝙨𝙠 for it. So, how do we get better at it? Some things to experiment with: 👉 Ask: Does the person prefer private acknowledgement? Public validation? Letters to others in leadership? You can have a conversation about credit and praise and treat the person the way that works best. 👉 Be Specific, “Nice job!” will release dopamine, but letting people know what 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 they’ve done well will reinforce the right behaviors and practices. 👉 Do It Often: If people don’t hear from you regularly—they start making assumptions about what you’re looking for Practice giving praise. It's an excellent habit to get comfortable with—everybody wins. Remember it’s a 360 affair. It’s not just leaders praising direct reports, it’s peers praising peers, and letting those above you know they're having a positive impact. Question: What have you done or seen that works to promote praise? Tracy ORourke Hugh Alley Karen Martin Deondra Wardelle