The Best Way to Give Praise at Work, According to Simon (2024)

• We all love praise, but delivering it effectively is a learned skill.
• The Optimism Company recently conducted a poll with 13,790 participants, revealing that most workers prefer to be praised in private rather than in public.
• Simon reveals his go-to method for giving effective praise.

Fact: We all love praise. Be it a little compliment on an outfit, a thank-you for some help with a task, or even just a thumbs-up after a presentation, praise is a ray of sunshine that can clear up a cloudy day. And yet we often forget that giving praise effectively is actually a skill.

It’s not just about saying “good job” and moving on; it’s about making your team members feel valued and appreciated in a meaningful way. Also, how you choose to deliver your praise—whether it’s in public, in private, in person, over Slack—can make all the difference.

For perspective, we recently conducted a poll to learn more about how people prefer to be acknowledged for their good work, and 13,790 people participated. The results were fascinating:

Turns out, most of the respondents indicated a preference for private conversations. This suggests that personalized, one-on-one praise goes a long way for many workers.

Others, however, felt differently. Some enjoy being acknowledged in front of their peers. Others value tangible rewards or gestures of appreciation, such as a handwritten note or a small gift.

Equally as interesting were the variety of detailed responses we received in the comments to our poll. People shared their unique and creative ideas for how they like to be praised. Here are just some of the comments from our poll participants (ed note: some have been lightly edited for clarity):

From Tonya B.:

I personally don’t need public accolades. However, I have learned that when it comes to work, praising in public can open doors. People are impressed by this sort of thing, so it can lead to new opportunities. So tell the world. Otherwise, an email for my ‘kudos’ folder and a cash bonus would be great!

From Sarah M.:

I love when my manager takes the time to give me specific feedback on my work. It shows that they’ve really paid attention and appreciate my efforts.

From Emily S.:

“I appreciate when praise is tied to the bigger picture. Knowing how my contributions contribute to the team’s success motivates me to keep up the good work.”

From Cole T.:

“If promotion, raise, or bonus are not an option, then my preferred recognition would be a personal meeting with my leadership team where I was thanked for the stellar work and given the opportunity to share my key learnings from the experience. I could also provide feedback on where I encountered hurdles and inefficiencies. This would really make me feel truly appreciated as it demonstrates to me that they actually care about the work I put in along with any ways the process can improve for next time.”

From Chuck D.:

“It’s not about how. It’s about intentions. Authenticity is powerful and memorable.”

As you see, giving praise effectively isn’t necessarily one-size-fits-all.

Simon’s Tips for Giving Effective Praise

When choosing the setting for your praise—whether in a team meeting, a company town hall, or one-on-one—use your best judgment based on your knowledge of the employee and their preferences. When in doubt, Simon advises making it a one-on-one conversation.

“In-person is always the best,” he says. “Over-the-phone is second best. Giving praise over email and text are weak substitutes. As a general rule, if you can email someone, you can call them.”

For the praise itself, Simon suggests structuring it in a specific way:

• Start with, “Here’s the thing you did.”
• Then, say, “Here’s how I feel about what you did.”
• Follow with, “Here’s the impact of what you did.”

He provides this example:

“Jennifer, when I was in your meeting the other day, I saw the way you talked to your team. It made me so proud and showed that you are the best example of our values. I am confident that if you keep doing that, your team and group will thrive beyond any of our expectations.”

Feels good, doesn’t it?

More Useful Advice from The Optimism Company

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