Praise, Productivity, Engagement, Focus

Praise is powerful. It increases our productivity, keeps us engaged, and helps us stay focused and committed. Here are a few tips for using praise in nonprofits and NGOs:

1. Following a Board meeting, when you (or your Board Secretary) send out your Board minutes, tack on a personal p.s. for those who were most actively participating that thanks them for their engagement during the meeting (even if they were acting as skeptic or naysayer).
2. Ask whoever coordinates volunteers to keep you or your organization's top leader up-to-date on outstanding contributions. Send a personal note from the CEO or Board Chair. Also thank them or spotlight them publicly in your next newsletter.
3. Start staff meetings with something great that you noticed the team did recently and give special thanks to any stand-out individual accomplishments. After you do, say "Anyone else have some good stuff to share?" You'll be amazed at how it keeps the whole meeting positive.
4. When giving out new work assignments, remind your team members about how well they handled an earlier challenge.
5. Use praise as part of a "feedback sandwich". Praise before and after difficult discussions can change the whole tone from criticism and defensiveness to constructively setting goals for improvement.
6. Incorporate praise into your programs and services. If your organization provides direct services to people, ensure that the staff that works most closely with them have an understanding of the power of praise.
7. No matter when and where you use praise, make sure that praise is genuine, personal, and specific.

 A Few Additional Resources on Praise:

The Most-Praised Generation Goes to Work by Jeffrey Zaslow for the Wall St. Journal

5 Ways to Give Praise by Joan Henshaw at Ladder Consulting.

The Feedback Sandwich by Mike Morrison at community.businessballs.com