Career and Leadership Strategies
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CRG Weekly eZine
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November 5, 2007
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Greetings!
I've never known anyone to complain about receiving too much positive feedback. Have you? In fact, just the opposite is true.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, manager, teacher, parent, coach, or simply a friend, if you want to be successful with people, you must master the art of appreciation.
Andy Robinson
Head Coach
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 Practice Uncommon Appreciation
Consider this: Every year, a well-know management consulting firm conducts a survey with 200 companies on the subject of what motivates employees. When given a list of 10 things that would most motivates them, the employees ALWAYS list APPRECIATION as the number-one motivator. When asked to rank that same list, the manager and supervisors ranked appreciation number eight -- a major mismatch.
Appreciation is one of the most underutilized motivators used by managers and supervisors. Appreciation, however, costs very little -- usually costing nothing in terms of money. Just a few moments of time, respect and understanding is all it takes.
Master the art of Uncommon Appreciation and you'll work wonders in motivating others.
Three Forms of Appreciation:
It is valuable to make a distinction between three different kinds of appreciation -- auditory, visual and kinesthetic. There are three different ways that the brain takes in information, and everyone has a dominant type they prefer.
Auditory people need to hear it;
Visual people need to see it;
Kinesthetic people need to feel it.
An auditory person might say, "He sends me letters and cards and emails, but he never takes the time to walk over and tell me to my face."
Visual people, on the other hand, like to receive something they can see, perhaps even hang on their wall, refrigerator, etc. They love letters, notes, cards, plaques, flowers, certificates, etc. They can see it and are able to keep the memory of it as long as they want to.
Kinesthetic people need to feel it -- a hug, a handshake, a pat on the back, or actually doing something with them.
If you want to really be a pro at appreciation, it's imperative that you learn which kind of feedback makes the most impact on the person you are delivering it to. Look for clues in their office, how they interact with others (people tend to show appreciation in the same form that they like to receive it), or try different approaches until you hit on the one that seems to be the most effective.
When it doubt, us all three types of communication -- tell them, show them and give them a pat on the back. You can touch the person's shoulder (kinesthetic), look them directly in the eyes, and in a sincere and expressive manner tell them that you appreciate them and their efforts (auditory). Then follow up with a card, note or gift to give them something to keep as a reminder (visual).
A Daily Habit:
Make showing your appreciation a daily habit -- at work, at home, and with friends. A Bonus: YOU receive as much positive energy from GIVING appreciation as does the person who receives the appreciation. Be the role model for practicing uncommon appreciation and watch people around you begin to transform.
Source: "The Success Principles," Jack Canfield, cocreator of "Chicken Soup for the Soul."
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Quotes to Inspire
"There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread."
Mother Theresa
"I have yet to find a man, however exalted in his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval than under a spirit of criticism."
Charles M. Schwab, first president of U.S. Steel Corporation
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