How do I praise thee?

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How do I praise thee? Let me count the ways.

I praise thee soon. Prompt praise is good. Stale praise is not so good.

I praise thee sincerely. Mean what you say, otherwise it’s manipulation and
very transparent.

I praise thee often. I’ve found that at least three positive messages a day
is a good place to start even though I have no science to support that number. I
look for meaningful occasions to praise thee.

I praise thee for good things you do. Effort and hard work are powerful
things to praise.

I praise thee for things that you achieve. I praise performance and
improvement.

I praise thee according to thy preferences. Not everyone likes to be praised
in public, but everyone likes to be praised.

Equally important are the ways I do not praise thee.

I do not praise thee for capacity. You do not merit praise for being smart or
talented or any other gift you have received without merit or effort on your
part.

I do not praise thee for everything good that you do. I know that praise is
most effective when delivered inconsistently.

Boss’s Bottom Line

Praise is your power tool for helping people maintain effort, energy, and
growth. It’s your most effective supporter of positive change. Most of us do not
praise enough.

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