FINAL THOUGHT -
Giving Praise
Giving praise helps an
individual feel valued. It is
encouraging and gives a clear
reinforcing message. It builds confidence.
It will also help the individual to increase his/her own awareness
of their personal strengths and abilities. When giving praise, it
should be immediate, specific and sincere.
Indeed, praise and
acknowledgment are things that we all tend to do very naturally with
babies and young children - and even our pets. When a baby is
learning to walk, we are usually lavish with our praise and
encouragement. Yet somehow, as they grow older, our
tendency to give praise diminishes.
And so it is, that as we grow
older, we learn to not expect praise (though deep down we still want
it), and in its place, we learn to be more aware of the opposite -
the gaps in our skills, our weaknesses, the "what is wrong" factor.
As adults, the general assumption then, is that adults don't need
praise or acknowledgement. Don't believe it
for a moment!
Go find someone who deserves
your praise (maybe even yourself) and place
a BET that will help to build his/her confidence and make
that person feel more valued and appreciated...go now!
Janet
Stewart-Lussier
Member of the Canadian
Association of Professional Speakers
