The Best Way to Give Effective Praise at Work, According to Simon

• We all love praise, but delivering it effectively is a learned skill.
• The Optimism Company recently conducted a poll with 13,790 participants, revealing that most workers prefer to be praised in private rather than in public.
• Simon reveals his go-to method for giving effective praise.

Fact: We all love praise. Be it a little compliment on an outfit, a thank-you for some help with a task, or even just a thumbs-up after a presentation, praise is a ray of sunshine that can clear up a cloudy day. And yet we often forget that giving praise effectively is actually a skill. 

It’s not just about saying “good job” and moving on; it’s about making your team members feel valued and appreciated in a meaningful way. Also, how you choose to deliver your praise—whether it’s in public, in private, in person, over Slack—can make all the difference. 

For perspective, we recently conducted a poll to learn more about how people prefer to be acknowledged for their good work, and 13,790 people participated. The results were fascinating: