Tips for Stress free life > Expert Zone > Leadership
Leadership Tips by experts
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
Tips for Stress free life > Expert Zone > Leadership Leadership Tips by experts |
|
|
|
|
Celebrating Successes: The Power Of Compliments
Years ago, when I was new in management circles, a veteran administrator decided to share his self-described secret of success. He said: You have to be careful, Bill. I*ve learned not to compliment my people. Makes them too self-assured, and they get lax in their work habits. Better to keep them guessing. As I listened, I uttered silent thanks, grateful that Don was a professional acquaintance--and not my boss. Both intuitively and from experience, I knew that managers build loyalty when they celebrate their employees* successes with compliments. To use a familiar analogy, criticism has the same impact on people that salt does on plants. Stated positively, compliments act as nutrients for people, just as fertilizer does for flowers. Having played golf for several decades, I remember the teaching professionals who helped me the least--and the most. The least helpful were those who spent the whole half hour describing my faults: bending your left arm. . .not enough weight shift. . . tempo is too fast. Jim, my favorite pro, accents the positives: swinging better than last time. . .hit that shot really square . . .now that*s the way to finish in balance. Not surprisingly, I wanted to swing better for Jim. When I think of compliments, I remember my father*s advice. For forty years, he managed a sizable department store. When I took my first supervisory position in higher education, he counseled me: Bill, one thing I have learned is that workers perform better when we let them know we appreciate their performance. Remember to commend those who do well. Then they*ll keep improving. During the twenty-three years I spent as a department head, I followed his recommendation. Even a simple comment--You did a good job drafting those letters--boosted morale and cultivated organizational loyalty. As a communication specialist, there are several tips I will share about using compliments. Avoid flattery, say no more than the situation merits. While flattery exaggerates our evaluation, the compliment reflects our honest opinion. For example, if you choose to tell an employee that she handled that customer superbly, better than anyone else could possibly have done, she might silently question your authenticity. A more believable comment: I liked the way you helped that customer. I*m sure you made a good impression she will remember. An employee--just like a friend or family member--detects shallow praise. Fortunately, when you have deep convictions about the praise you extend, co-workers will sense your authenticity. This leads to a second characteristic of a compliment: It sounds realistic. If somebody told me that I am a wonderful dancer, I might laugh out loud. Sadly, so would my wife, who has endured my errant feet for a long time. Be timely in issuing compliments. We should give the compliment almost immediately after the event that prompts our praise. Imagine that on Tuesday Dorothy makes the biggest sale she has ever made. Clearly, her training has brought beautiful results. Even fellow employees admire her accomplishments with this order. If you wait until Friday to compliment her, you*ve lost a grand opportunity. Give her your attention before Tuesday ends, while she*s still aglow with pride. Try this: Dorothy, I think you noticed that all of us were delighted with that special order you handled today. You*ve made lots of progress, and it shows. Another tip: Issue compliments in moderation. Managers lose credibility when they praise employees too frequently. Like the most gorgeous flower, a compliment becomes grander with irregular appearance. No, we can*t go as far as my colleague Don, never issuing favorable comments. However, good judgment will help us find the reasonable pacing that works. Again: Use compliments in proper context. When you tell Fred late in the day that he is one of your most dependable people, your compliment becomes suspect when you add: Oh, by the way, Fred, you*re supposed to have Saturday off, but I*m going to have to ask you to come in then to help us handle those weekend wedding orders. Any time a compliment appears manipulative, it loses force. . .and we lose face. Yes, compliments can be chancy. Some employees might accuse us of playing favorites, being too syrupy, or trying to win favor for our hidden agendas. Risky, that*s true. . .but worth the risk. When you become known for offering genuine, realistic compliments in moderation, at the right time, and in the proper setting, you*ll notice your employees responding positively. In fact, they will compliment you for your thoughtfulness and encouragement. About The Author Bill Lampton, Ph.D., wrote The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life! As a business consultant, speaker and coach, he helps organizations improve their communication, motivation, customer service and sales. His Web site: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com E-mail: mailto:drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com
MORE RESOURCES: See the complete list of Articles on Leadership here Have a look at Best Selling Books on Leadership
See also : Other articles on
Depression,
Grief Loss,
Happiness,
Humor,
Inspirational,
Motivation,
Leadership - Google News
Why not be an expert yourself ? If you can write on
any of the above topic, you are welcome to submit your Submit
your article here |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
In Leadership, Good Enough Is Pretty Bad The first time I meet a leader to decide if we should work together, I invariably ask one question. The answer to that question gives me an idea of whether we'll have a productive relationship. Rationalize Success Away I was invited to do a Leadership workshop at a well known Fortune 100 company out in New Jersey. The all day event was geared toward their new crop of interns. 8 Questions to Ask if You Want to be a Better Leader Those that have successfully made the transition from manager to leader have found the importance of continuously asking questions. Constantly receiving feedback from front line workers enables aleader to understand what is going right and where improvement is needed. Abraham Lincoln Is Still Alive Abraham Lincoln Is Still Alive President Jimmy Carter tells in his memoirs that a trip to Gettysburg and a discussion about Abraham Lincoln helped achieve a breakthrough in the Camp David negotiations. The Israelis and the Egyptians had reached a deadlock. The Incandescence Of The Human Spirit There lives within every individual a power, an energy, an incandescence of spirit that is being constantly held in check, like a dimmer switch turned way down.A lifetime of being told: "we are nothing special; to stand out is egotistic and wrong; to conform is necessary; to be different is bad; the collective good must be served even to the determent of our own being; we must support; we must never defy; to question authority is inherently evil; the majority is always right; don't rock the boat;" -- creates an habitual thought pattern of lassitude, often leaving us without any sense of our ability to make a substantial difference and therefore with no real sense of urgency. Leadership Skills Training Empowers Problem-solving and Visioning Leadership skills training programs empower you to influence, persuade or inspire others. Well constructed training programs should result in improved, more effective leadership skills for your colleagues and you. In Leadership, The Eight Ways Of Right Action (Part 1) The ancient Greeks had a saying: "When Aschines speaks, the people say, 'How well he speaks,' but when Demosthenes speaks, the people say, 'Let's march against Philip!'".To get the best results as a leader, the people you lead should be saying in one way or the other after you speak, "Let's march!"When you speak to people as a leader, it's not what you say that's really important, what's important is the action people take after you have had your say. Miraculous Leadership It was a time of turmoil. In November 1979, supporters of the Ayatollah Khomeini took 71 Americans hostage in Iran. In Leadership, The Eight Ways Of Right Action (Part 2) In Part 1, I said that leaders who can't have people take right action are ineffective, and I listed four of the eight ways of right action. In Part 2, I'll describe the remaining four ways. Being Other Focused In the Wall Street Journal, Franklin Lavin, U.S. It Begins Like This Jonathan was drunk multiple times before ever completing elementary school; his father fed him bourbon so Jonathan would resist less while being sexually molested. On the night his mother was released from jail, Jonathan rode eagerly by his father's side to pick her up. Birth Order - Understand How It Affects Your Personality "Know thyself" is a powerful principle that leaders, managers and effective people intuitively know.When you understand your own strengths and preferences you are in a position to maximise those strengths and compensate for any weaknesses either by working differently or surrounding yourself with people with different strengths. The Four Laws Of Leadership (Part One) Leadership is motivational or it's stumbling in the dark. After all, isn't it more effective to have people want to go from point A to point B instead of to be ordered to go from A to B?The ability to instill "want to" in others, to motivate them, marks the difference between average leaders and great leaders. The Qualities of Skillful Leadership If you want to be a leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself. Leadership is the ability to attract someone to the gifts, skills, and opportunities you offer as an owner, as a manager, as a parent. Dissolving Conflict Through Reframing Reframing is looking at the situation with a new set of eyes. Its asking your self if you have a clear picture of the situation and of what is happening around you. 5 Tips to Help You Win Big & Become a Village Hero A few years ago, I returned to my impoverished village in Haiti. Many in the village came to see me-the tiny and diseased child they didn't expect to make it. The Goals of Leadership Coaching and Partnerships Webster's Dictionary describes a "partner" as an ally or an association built around common interests and goals.A partnership denotes a joint venture, a relationship built on equal status (rather than inequality). The Challenge to Lead The topic of leadership has been and continues to be one of the most vital topics in human history. From ancient civilizations to modern day multi-national corporations, men and women of passion, fervor and zeal have sought to discover the secrets of moving others beyond the gray of their mundane reality to the rich array of colors that embody the palate of the extraordinary life. Leadership Skills - 10 Ways to Beef Up 10 Ways to Beef Up Your Leadership SkillsHave you ever heard someone say, "Actually, I have to admit that I think I am really bad at managing other people. My staff all hate me and I'm incapable of doing my job". It's Not All About Cheese: The Missing Component in Employee Development (Part 1) Spencer Johnson really hit a nerve when he wrote Who Moved My Cheese? The book, a best seller still, is a wonderful allegory of the things that drive and motivate us. I personally loved the book, perhaps because I read it in one night.
|
|
You are here |
|
| Leadership Tips Home | Leadership Tips - Complete list | |
|
| Main Home | | Meditation Corner | |
|
|
| Recommend us | |
|
[About
us] [Contact] [Privacy
Policy]
Copyright 2006, Meditation
is Easy.com, All
rights reserved
Comment by Bill Albert
