I was grocery shopping the other day (Yes, this sometimes happens). A mom with two small kids in tow kept up a constant stream of chatter: "Great job pushing the cart, Stella, you are so smart." "Good work picking out a pepper, Max, now put it back." It went on and on - kids do something/anything, mother responds with a positive affirmation, kids do another something, mother reacts. This is so awesome to see in action. I'm in aisle 10 and it continues. There is a giant metaphor unfolding as I seek out my coconut water.

You rock. You're so special. Nice job putting your toys away. On and on it goes: reflexive praise for doing the right thing and, in many cases, the not-so-right thing. We're becoming a culture in which people expect to be rewarded for drawing breath and taking up space, which makes the job of an HR pro or business leader tasked with employee retention a difficult one indeed. If many of your employees expect routine and social praise and "badges", how can you recognize extraordinary achievement? When should recognition and reward be linked?

It's ever-evolving.

While that's exciting for techies, it can be a headache for business leaders, whether they are corporate executives or small business owners.

Businesses periodically need to upgrade or replace creaky computer systems, or risk falling behind their competitors. If they try to muddle through with a cranky jalopy when everyone else moved up to the latest sports car, they may find themselves out of the race for consumer dollars.

"One thing companies need to remember is that as the capabilities of technology continue to rise, so do the expectations of their customers," says Nicole McMackin, president of Irvine Technology Corp., which specializes in information technology solutions and staffing. "The bar keeps being raised higher and higher in terms of how quickly and efficiently customers expect to be served."