If You Want Your Praise to Have Any Effect, Make Sure It’s Honest.
It sounds like a matter of course, but if you’re trying to compliment and support someone, an honest compliment will almost always work better than a feigned one.
As Business Blog Inc. notes, insincere compliments can go straight into the ears of the person you are praising. Why? Well, they can usually tell if you are flattering them or if you are acknowledging something really good. Tell them that they are doing their job well and they will appreciate it. Tell them that they are literally rich in whatever task they are trying to accomplish, and they just feel like they are being manipulated. For compliments to be effective, be honest:
So here’s the thing: Praise only works if it’s sincere. Sincere. Authentic. This is not a gimmick or a simple task that you marked on the list. This is a way of thinking. You must constantly look for positivity in your employees, partners, and teammates. Of course, everyone needs constructive criticism at times. But this will happen naturally; if you see damaging behavior that needs fixing, you will be forced to do it.
Why not treat praise the same way? If you see something that you like, let the person know as soon as possible. If you can’t do it right away, take a note or set a reminder so you don’t forget.
Of course, “giving honest compliments” sounds pretty straightforward, but it can go beyond simple honesty. Effective compliments also target how people feel about themselves. Do you know that someone is working very hard on their work? Compliment them, not how they look. Praising what people value about themselves will not only be more effective, but also require more attention from you, which means your compliments are likely to be more genuine.