The same applies: A Challenge to co-workers and associates: The inability to provide compliments and reinforcement to others around you, for their successes, is a character flaw.  Is it inherent competition or insecurity?

Praise is infectious: It motivates others to focus on results rather than processes and to aim for higher outcomes.

Praise is a catalyst that moves one from process orientation to results orientation and accelerates the corporate mission.

Praise must be authentic.

Failure to notice

Most leaders don’t fail because they’re cruel or careless.  They fail because they’re busy—and they forget to notice.

In many organizations, significant work is treated like a silent expectation: “That’s what we pay you for.” Yet recognition isn’t fluff.  Praise is a leadership instrument—one that shapes performance, retention, and culture with surprising force, fostering a sense of appreciation and motivation among your team.

When people feel seen, they lean in.  When they feel invisible, they quietly start leaving—first emotionally, then literally.  Your compensation plan may attract talent, but your recognition habits determine whether they stay.

Why Praise Isn’t “Nice”—It’s Strategic

Praise is more than a polite gesture; it’s a high-leverage management tool.  It clarifies what “great” looks like, reinforces momentum, and strengthens trust.  Leaders often underestimate how much their words count because Praise seems intangible.  But employees experience recognition as a signal:

“My work matters here.  My leader notices.  I’m valued.”

That signal matters in two ways:

• Performance: Recognition identifies the behaviors that should be repeated.
• Retention: People rarely leave for money; they leave because they no longer feel connected, supported, or appreciated.

“People don’t disengage because the work is hard; they disengage because the effort feels unseen.”

The “7-Day” Recognition Challenge

A simple way to transform team culture is to adopt a rule: no one goes more than seven days without meaningful recognition.
Think of it as culture maintenance—like preventative care.  If you wait for annual reviews, you’re trying to steer a car by tapping the wheel once a year.

The 7-Day Challenge:

For the next four weeks, ensure every team Member receives at least one moment of genuine recognition every seven days.  Not generic compliments.  Not vague positivity.  Specific, behavior-based Praise connects effort to Impact.

This doesn’t require speeches.  It requires attention.

“Recognition isn’t an event.  It’s a rhythm.”

Core Strategies for Leaders (That Actually Land)

1) Be Specific, Not General (Use SBI)

“Good job” is pleasant—but it’s forgettable.  The most powerful Praise is descriptive, not decorative.  Use the Situation–Behavior–Impact (SBI) model:

• Situation: When and where did it happen?
• Behavior: What exactly did the person do?
• Impact: What changed because they did it?

Example (SBI in action):

“During yesterday’s client call (situation), you asked two clarifying questions before proposing a solution (Behavior).  That prevented scope creep and made the client feel listened to (Impact).”

This style of recognition does two things at once: it makes appreciation credible, and it teaches excellence.

“Vague Praise feels polite.  Specific Praise feels true.”

2) Praise the Process, Not Just Outcomes

Many leaders praise only results: revenue, wins, and deadlines met.  But outcomes can be noisy—sometimes influenced by luck, timing, or market conditions.  Process praise reinforces the behaviors that create repeatable success.

Recognize:

• Preparation
• Persistence
• Collaboration
• Creativity
• Calm problem-solving under pressure
• Ownership and follow-through

Example:

“I appreciate how you mapped the risks before we moved forward.  That kind of thinking prevents expensive surprises.”

Process praise is especially important for employees who do invisible work—people who prevent problems rather than create flashy wins.

“Outcomes are what we celebrate.  Processes are what we can replicate.”

3) Make It Timely

Recognition has a half-life.  Praise that arrives weeks later feels like paperwork.  Praise delivered quickly feels like leadership, empowering you to feel confident and effective in your role.

Aim for a simple rule: within 24–72 hours of the Behavior, whenever possible.  Timely recognition boosts motivation while the moment is still emotionally real.

A practical habit: Keep a running note on your phone: “Recognition to give.” Add quick entries as you notice them.  Then deliver them in a meeting, message, or one-on-one.

Not everyone wants applause.  Some People thrive on public acknowledgment; others experience it as uncomfortable exposure.  Effective Praise respects personality, helping you feel more connected and authentic in your recognition efforts.

Not everyone wants applause.  Some people thrive on public acknowledgment; others experience it as uncomfortable exposure.  Effective Praise respects personality.

Common preferences include:

• Public: Team meeting shout-outs, company channels, leaderboards
• Private: One-on-one Praise, short hallway moments, direct messages
• Tangible: Handwritten notes, a small token, a coffee gift card
• Career-linked: Stretch assignments, leadership opportunities, training access

Leader move:

Ask directly:

“When you do great work, how do you prefer I recognize it—publicly or privately?”

That one question communicates respect.

“The best recognition isn’t louder—it’s more personal.”

5) Connect Praise to Purpose

People want meaning, not just metrics.  When you connect recognition to mission and values, you elevate the compliment into identity:

 “This is who we are when we’re at our best.”

Example:

“That extra patience you showed the customer reflects our value of ‘service first.’ You didn’t just solve the issue—you protected the relationship.”

Purpose-based Praise makes employees feel like they belong to something bigger than tasks and tickets.

Overcoming Resistance: Why Leaders Avoid Praise (and How to Break the Pattern)

Acknowledge the Vulnerability

Many leaders feel awkward giving compliments.  The internal script sounds like:

• What if they think I’m soft?
• What if it comes out wrong?
• What if they expect more?
• What if it feels forced?

That hesitation is usual.  Praise creates a moment of emotional exposure—especially for leaders who were trained to value critique over affirmation.  But discomfort is not a reason to avoid a best practice.

Reframe: Praise isn’t intimacy.  It’s clarity and reinforcement.

Build the “Muscle”

If recognition doesn’t come naturally, don’t wait for inspiration.  Build it like a habit:

Daily Micro-Recognition (5 minutes):

Each day, identify one person and one specific Behavior to reinforce.  Send a message or say it aloud.  That’s it.

Over time, your attention changes.  You start noticing strengths faster.  Culture follows attention.

Don’t “Sandwich” Praise with Criticism

One of the fastest ways to poison recognition is the praise-critique-praise “sandwich.” Employees learn to brace for the bite: Here comes the real point.  They remember the negative and dismiss the positive as a setup.

Instead:

• Give Praise on its own.
• Provide corrective feedback separately, at a different time.

“If praise always comes with a ‘but,’ people stop hearing the Praise.”

A Simple Weekly Plan (Leaders Can Actually Use)

Monday: Two quick recognitions via message (SBI format).
Tuesday: One private thank-you in a one-on-one or hallway moment.
Wednesday: One public shout-out in a meeting (for someone who likes public recognition).
Thursday: Process praise—call out effort, collaboration, or preparation.
Friday: Purpose praise—connect a win to values or mission.

This is not complicated.  It’s leadership hygiene.

The Standard You Set Becomes the Culture You Get

Praise is not a substitute for accountability.  It’s the companion to it.  The healthiest cultures are both demanding and appreciative—high standards, high support.  When people believe their effort will be noticed, they take initiative.  When they think it won’t, they do the minimum required to stay safe.

Your team is constantly learning what matters by watching what you celebrate.

“If you want more of a behavior, recognize it.  What you reward is what you repeat.”

Below is a plug-and-play 7-day recognition plan you can run every week (repeatable, lightweight, and designed to build a recognition “rhythm” without feeling corny or time-consuming).  It uses the SBI method (Situation–Behavior–Impact), combines private and public recognition, and reinforces process and purpose (not just outcomes).

The 7-Day Recognition Plan (Repeat Weekly)

Guiding Rules (keep these at the top)

·       No one goes 7 days without recognition (even a 30-second message counts).

·       Be specific (SBI beats “good job” every time).

·       Praise cleanly (don’t combine praise + critique in the same moment).

·       Mix modes (public for those who like it, private for those who don’t).

·       Aim for behaviors you want repeated (process > luck-driven outcomes).

Setup (10 minutes on Day 0 / Sunday night or Monday morning)

Create a Recognition Roster (simple list of names) and track:

• Last recognized date
• Preferred style (Public / Private / Written / 1:1)
• What they’re working on this week (so Praise can be relevant)

Tools (pick one):

• Teams/Slack channel + pinned post
• A recurring calendar reminder
• A simple notes app checklist
• A shared manager-only tracker (if you have multiple leaders)

Day-by-Day Plan

Day 1 (Monday): “Kickoff + Set the Tone” (8–12 minutes)

Goal

Start the week by reinforcing priorities and signaling what “great” looks like.

Actions

• Send 2 private SBI recognitions (quick DMs or email).
• Open the week (team meeting or message) with a 30-second “win” shout-out.

Private SBI Template (copy/paste)

Situation: During/On [specific moment]
Behavior: You [specific action]
Impact: That helped [result/benefit].  Thank you.

Example:

During Friday’s client follow-up, you summarized the next steps in writing within 10 minutes.  That reduced confusion and kept the project moving.  Appreciate your ownership.

Day 2 (Tuesday): “Process Praise Day” (6–10 minutes)

Goal

Reinforce effort, preparation, and collaboration—what creates repeatable success.

Actions

• Identify one “invisible win” (risk avoided, support provided, cleanup done).
• Deliver recognition privately to the person who did it.

Process Praise Prompts

• “I noticed how you prepared…”
• “You handled that calmly when…”
• “You connected people/resources by…”
• “You stayed persistent when…”

Template

I want to recognize the process you used: [prep/persistence/collaboration].  That’s what drives consistent results here.

Day 3 (Wednesday): “Public Recognition (Opt-in)” (5–8 minutes)

Goal

Build team morale and clarify standards—without embarrassing anyone.

Actions

• Give 1–2 public shout-outs in a meeting or channel, but only for people who prefer public recognition.
• Keep it short, specific, and values-linked.

Public Shout-out Script (20 seconds)

Quick recognition: [Name] did [specific Behavior] on [situation], which resulted in [Impact].  That reflects our value of [value].  Thank you.

Channel format

• ✅ Name
• ✅ Behavior
• ✅ Impact
• ✅ Value/Mission tie

Day 4 (Thursday): “Peer Recognition Spark” (8–12 minutes)

Goal

Make recognition cultural—not just leader-driven.

Actions

• Start a 2-minute peer recognition round in a meeting or post a prompt in chat:
• “Tag someone who helped you this week and share what they did + why it mattered.”

Prompt (Teams/Slack)

Peer Props: Shout out to someone who helped you this week.
Use: What they did + Why it mattered.

Leader move

React/endorse 2–3 peer shout-outs with a short add-on:

“Co-signing this—great example of how we support each other.”

Day 5 (Friday): “Purpose + Progress” (10–15 minutes)

Goal

Connect work to meaning and close the week with momentum.

Actions

• Send 1 short “purpose recognition” message to someone whose work aligns with mission/values.
• Share one team win recap: what went well + what we learned.

Purpose Praise Template

What you did—[Behavior]—directly supports our mission of [mission].  It matters because [customer/team Impact].  Thank you.

Weekly Win Recap (3 bullets)

• Win:
• Behavior that created it:
• Lesson we’ll repeat next week:

Day 6 (Saturday): “Quiet Catch-Up (Optional)” (5 minutes)

Goal

Prevent anyone from slipping past the 7-day mark.

Actions

• Quick roster check: who hasn’t been recognized in 6–7 days?
• Send one short DM (even a 2–3 sentence SBI counts).

Ultra-short Recognition (2 sentences)

I noticed [specific Behavior] this week.  It made [Impact]—thank you.

Day 7 (Sunday): “Plan Next Week’s Recognition” (5–8 minutes)

Goal

Make recognition automatic, not accidental.

Actions

• Write down 3 names you’ll recognize next week.
• Note what they’re working on so Praise can be specific.
• Schedule 2 calendar reminders (Mon/Wed).

3 “Done-in-30-Seconds” Recognition Options (Use Anytime)

Option A — The SBI Micro

When you [Behavior] during [situation], it resulted in [Impact].  Thanks.

Option B — The “Repeat This”

Keep doing [specific Behavior].  It’s a difference-maker.

Option C — The “Values Tie”

That was a great example of [value].  Appreciate it.

Simple Tracking (So This Doesn’t Become Another Job)

Use a one-line tracker in Notes:

• Dan — private — Tue — process (prep)
• Mia — public — Wed — collaboration
• Jose — private — Fri — purpose (customer care)

Rule: If you can’t write it in one line, it’s too complicated.

Customization: Remote / Hybrid / In-Person

Remote Teams

• Use asynchronous Praise (DM + channel shout-out).
• Record a 20-second voice note (surprisingly powerful).

Hybrid Teams

• Ensure remote members receive equal public visibility (don’t let hallway praise dominate).

In-Person Teams

• Use “walk-by recognition” (30 seconds at their workspace) + occasional handwritten notes.

Common Pitfalls (Avoid These)

• ❌ “Good job!” with no specifics
• ❌ Praise only top performers (others disengage)
• ❌ Praise + criticism in the same breath
• ❌ Public recognition for someone who hates it
• ❌ Recognizing outcomes without reinforcing behaviors