"There are two things people want more than sex and money ... recognition and praise."
In this somewhat provacative statement, Mary Kay does hit on something far more important than it looks. How many people have you met that can get all the sex they want and have all the money need, and yet they're miserable people? I've met a lot of them.
But when you meet someone that has received a ton of recognition and praise, there is almost a light that seems to surround them as they seem to carry something within them that wants to attach to those around them. That's the power of recognition and praise.
This is another one of those characteristics that all great managers have. They know when and how to do it in a way that isn't condescending or fake. Those that do this well, don't consider it just a tactic (although they,know its power), but they do it from within. It simply can't be faked over a long period of time. Try to fake it and it'll cause more backlash than almost anything you could think of. Do it from something you really feel and believe though, and your people will do almost anything to make the business a success.
One important thing to keep in mind here is that you just don't pass out recognition and praise indiscriminately. I've seen people publicly rewarded for no other reason than others had been. This is a terrible practice to enter into. People know who the best performers are in the company, and to give recognition to mediocrity would be to reward mediocrity; something we don't want to do.
On the other hand, we should be looking for opportunities to recognize and praise anything that we see someone giving an honest try at. If we reward behaviors that we want to be part of the culture of our company, people will start to act that way so that they can also receive the recognition and encouragement that is so desired by most people.
Giving out healthy doses of recognition and praise will make the workplace a dynamic and successful operation. I've seen some very average people praised for doing something right, and watched them almost change overnight as they worked hard to get that soul-enhancing encouragement. It just can't be underestimated within any business.
Other Mary Kay Resources:
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