Think & Create

by Chris Widener

One of the keys to success is to have successful relationships. We are not islands and we don’t get to the top by ourselves. And one of the key ways to grow successful in our relationships is to be “life-giving” people to others. Every person we meet, we either give life to or take life from. You know what I mean. There are people who encourage you and when you are done being with them you feel built up. Then there are others who you feel torn down by. Successful people are people who have mastered the art of building others up.

One of the ways we build people up is to praise them. There is power in praising people! Something begins to happen in them, in you, and in your relationship when you praise someone. Remember a time when someone told you something about yourself in a praising manner? It was great, wasn’t it? You probably liked that person more after they praised you, didn’t you?

Now I am not talking about praising people for the sake of praising people. I am talking about honestly looking for and praising positive character traits and actions of others around you. Don’t lie to people. If they have done something wrong, correct it, but when they do something right, praise it!

With that said, here are benefits of and ways to start praising people.

Benefits

* Your relationship grows. Life is about relationships. Family relationships, friends and co-workers. When we begin to praise people for their positive aspects, our relationships grow. It puts them, and us, on the fast track.
* Your leadership and influence grows. Who is going to have greater leadership and influence capacity in the lives of their followers, the one who tears down or the one who builds up?
* Stronger relationships and loyalty. When the person is appreciated and praised, they become fiercely loyal, because they know that you care for them, love them, and appreciate them. This will take you to success.
* Happier, more fulfilled people. I truly believe it is our job to build others up, and that they need it. It is a good thing to invest in the lives of others by praising and encouraging them. Even if we never get anything in return, it is the right thing to do to build up other people. Someone else will always come along to tear them down; the successful person will instill in them the power of praise!

Some Ways to Praise

Character traits
Is there someone you know who is joyful? Hard-working? Honest? Then let them know how much you appreciate that in them. You can do it with a word or a card, or a phone call. Say something like this, “You know, Tom, I think it is great that you are such a hard worker. It seems like you are always the first one here and the last one to leave. You really set a good example and I want you to know how much I appreciate that.” Simple!

Action
Same idea as above. “Sue, I don’t know if anybody else has told you this, but your work on the Johnson account was excellent. You have a wonderful ability to communicate the vision of the project, and that helps all the rest of us out in our roles and tasks. Thanks for that. It is greatly appreciated.”

Other ways you can show praise and appreciation is with a card, a gift or time off from work.

Make it your goal to praise at least five people a day. If you can, praise 10 people a day. Or perhaps you can try to praise everyone you come in contact with. It just takes discipline and a little work.

Any way you cut it, though, there is power in praising people. First for them, then for you!

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By Brian Tracy

Everyone has critical skills and knowledge that are important to many other people in the company.

Use Better Titles for Each Person

Some years ago, when I started in business, the job of the receptionist was to answer the telephone and direct the callers to the appropriate people. Today, however, her job is far more complicated and, therefore, more important. Since she is the first contact that most customers have with our business, her personality and temperament are extremely important.

Think About Your Customers

The prospective client who telephones begins forming an impression of us the instant that the telephone is answered. Then, because our companies are doing so many things, she must tactfully ascertain exactly how the caller may be best served and who is the best person in the company to direct the telephone call to.

One Person Can Make the Difference

In many cases, there are requests for further information, and follow-up telephone calls go through our front-office manager. Her ability to handle these calls effectively, to direct calls to the right people, to take accurate messages, and to act as the core person in a network of communications makes her job so important that it is essential that she sit in on all staff meetings and be aware of everything that is going on. 

Keep Yourself Informed

Your job in your company also requires that you know a lot about what is going on everywhere else, as well as being thoroughly conversant with what you do. And the fastest and most accurate way of keeping current with what is going on is to develop and maintain a network of contacts, an informal team of people within your workplace who keep you informed and who you keep informed in turn.

Encourage Participation and Involvement

The old methods of command and control now exist only at the old-line companies, many of which are fighting for their very survival. Today, men and women want a high degree of participation and involvement in their work. They want an opportunity to discuss and thoroughly understand what they are doing and why they are doing it. People are no longer satisfied to be cogs in a big machine. They want to have an integral role in achieving goals that they participated in setting in the first place.

Build a Top Team

Being a team player is no longer something that is optional. Today, it is mandatory. If you want to achieve anything of consequence, you will need the help and cooperation of lots of people. Your main objective is to structure everything you do in such a way that, because you are constantly cooperating and working well with others, they are continually open to helping you achieve your goals.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, recognize that every person in the company is essential to the smooth functioning of the organization. Take time regularly to discuss their jobs with them and understand what they do.

Second, identify the things that you do that can really affect the work of others. Then, look for ways to do your job so that you help others in every way possible.

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Identify them

How can you retain your best employees if you do not know who they are? 

An easy way to do this would be to take a piece of paper and then write the names of perhaps twenty employees (at all levels) whose service is indispensable to the organization.After that, be proactive and do everything you can to keep them.

Most organizations take the easy way out by only taking action when a good employee puts in his/her resignation letter. These employees are only then told of how good they are and how valuable their services are to the organization. To make these employees retract their resignations, they are bribed with promotions and pay rises. Some may stay but if their concerns and grievances are not addressed, then it is most certain that they will put in their resignation letters within the next year.

Listen to the voice of your employees

Conduct organizational surveys so that the pulse of the organization can be monitored at all times. Get feedback on what is right and what is wrong in the organization from an employees point of view.

Don’t assume that you know.

Heed the results of exit interviews with departing employees as they provide valuable information you an use to improve the organizational working environment.

Appreciate and recognize your best employees

Time and time again, research has shown that people crave and yearn for recognition. People like to feel that someone appreciates the work they do. It is common therefore to walk through an office and see employees displaying items of recognition like a thank you card from a manager, a latter of appreciation from a customer, or an award.

In situations like these, sincere recognition can mean a lot more to staff than just financial incentives. A genuine pat on the back, given at the right moment, for the right reasons, and in front of the right people, can boost staff morale and commitment in many ways.

Never, ever  show appreciation only when people have put in their resignations. It’s then too late.

Ensure that your management team treats your best employees well

In a poll carried out by Gallop Organization, it was revealed that “what most employees want, more than anything else, is a good boss.” This was the most influential factor affecting both employee retention and performance. 

Curt Coffman, lead researcher at Gallup says that, “If you have a turnover problem, look first at your managers.” He adds, “People leave managers, not companies!”

It would be critical therefore that companies take a cold hard look at themselves and ask the question, “Are we doing enough to retain our best employees?”

Any organization is only as good as its best employees.

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