Today I am writing about the power of recognition and how easy it is to implement into your day to day life.
I read a book once (a long, long time ago) about connecting with people and there was a poignant section that talked about the powerful effects of giving compliments!
They used an example of approaching someone at a bar and telling them they looked good (if you felt they looked good that is), simples. This quite simply was to me a revolutionary idea…”could I just approach someone I don’t necessarily know and dish out a complement that is true and fair??” But if I didn’t try I would never know so I thought OK I will give it a try especially as this book went on to describe the likely feelings the reciprocator of the complement would have. Well of course they would feel GREAT! It would likely put a smile on their face, boost their confidence, brighten a bad day, the list could go on. And the cost to me, that was nothing, I had nothing to lose and was not looking to gain anything. (I would like to point out that this was not a book on dating by the way, so just to clear this up or to be used specifically in this arena although I am sure if would have its merits!) Like I said before, the person was literally not looking to gain anything from telling this person they looked good.
Well, can I tell honestly say this new approach to people transformed the way I looked at my interactions on a personal and work basis. And this is where the true power of this simple anecdote can be used in giving your colleagues recognition.
AND, this is not exclusive to the Manager, Boss, Team leader, this is free for all who are interested.
And of course if it works in business then the chances are it will work in your personal life too!
BUT there are some key rules to being able to give TRUE recognition to someone
Also, this is not really a rule, but you should consider the environment you are in. Does the recipient appreciate public praise or do they like quiet appreciation?
So that’s the key things and now it’s time to let the compliments flow like the River Nile busting out of the Aswan Dam! And this is how easy it can flow: Here is some of the praise I have given my colleagues this week:-
“That Blog you wrote was brilliant!”
“That call you just made was truly one of your best!”
“You’ve come on leaps and bounds and are developing with your role far sooner than I had planned”
Just keep it coming. If it is true then let it go and share it. (Cue annoying ‘Let it go’ song) I would like to point out that this costs the business nothing! And in this instance there is a lot to gain from doing it. Your team members will be appreciative of the recognition and likely offer in return commitment to the team, drive to deliver on their tasks and general good ol’ fashioned positive energy that can rub off on everyone in the workplace!
If you were expecting stats and proof in this article, then apologies as you will not find this here. It is a fact that as human beings one of our key aspirations in this world is to achieve recognition for our input in what is, in total, a small but significant contribution to the evolution of our society.
So, if, like I was, you are in that place where the thought of dishing out compliments and praise fills you with fear and dread (most likely emanating from a fear of losing face) or you quite simply haven’t given enough time to this area, then stop for a minute and flip it around. Think of the impact a simple piece of praise will have on the other person AND think about how little time you need to put it into place. You do not need company approval or sign off for this one. Therefore, no excuses, let’s clear the path for a free flow of wonderful, true and uplifting communication.
(Reader beware: Please note that the content of all praise and compliments should be appropriate for the environment you are in. I am in no way condoning colleagues to use this powerful tool to ‘crack on’ to other team members within the work place.)
Good Luck
Lauren