An Ounce of Praise is Worth a Pound of Criticism
The last couple of years have reinforced—or revealed, for some—that educators need and deserve a little more support, compassion, and respect. A salary increase is warranted, too… but I’ll save that talking point for another time. What we’ve also learned since March 2020 is the value of praise and recognition. While this is certainly not a new revelation, the value of praise has definitely doubled for educators. The work that we do has taken on a completely new meaning and form, and has required more effort and mindfulness than ever before. For this very reason, amongst others, it is important that educators feel valued and seen for their hard work and commitment.
Praise Goes a Long Way
I remember starting out as a new teacher. At that age, I didn’t really place too much value on praise. I used to believe that people shouldn’t be rewarded or celebrated for doing the things they ought to be doing anyway… until I started teaching 5th grade. During my first year as a turnaround teacher, I had to quickly figure out how to get my students to do the things they ought to be doing anyway and to keep doing them. One day during our Morning Meeting at the carpet, I decided to introduce “Scholar of the Week” as an added component of our meeting. Man oh man did this do wonders. It was at that moment when I realized the power of positive reinforcement. My scholars began to work harder and repeat the behaviors and decisions that they were celebrated for.
I later became a bonus mom and this idea was amplified. When my daughter would make her bed in the morning or place her dirty dish in the dishwasher [instead of the sink], I would basically do back flips. Each time I praised her for something she did—even if it was a basic responsibility—she worked even harder and became consistent with those actions.
When I transitioned into mentorship and leadership, I found that praise goes a long way with adults, too. I praised my teachers for the big and small things and it fostered a more positive and productive workplace. The correlation between recognition, relationships, and sense of value became undeniable. As a principal, I would administer a weekly OfficeVibe survey to keep a pulse on how my team was doing. The survey measured 12 aspects of staff engagement. Three of which were: Relationship With Manager, Recognition, and Happiness. From week to week, I couldn’t help but to notice that as the Recognition ratio increased, so did Happiness and Relationship with Manager; and as the Recognition ratio decreased, so did Happiness and Relationship with Manager. Needless to say, I became more consistent and intentional with recognizing and praising my people. During school year 2021, my last year as a principal, I made it a point to start almost every morning huddle with staff shoutouts and appreciations. Even during one of the most challenging years, and despite being entirely remote, 100% of my team felt cared for and valued as a person. I’d like to think praise and recognition had something to do with that.
Don’t take my word for it. What do the experts say?
Gallup finds that praise, although it has great impact, is not used that often. "Only one in three workers in the U.S. strongly agree that they received recognition or praise in the past seven days for doing good work—and those who disagree are twice as likely to say they'll quit in the next year. Praise is that powerful."
Gallup’s research on the power of praising teams shows us:
When teams are praised, they feel that their work is meaningful.
Teams who don't receive praise don't trust their colleagues or leaders.
Teams who receive praise make quality a top priority in their work.
Teams who receive praise openly share information, knowledge, and ideas with one another.
Praise Your People, Nourish Your People.
Praise is to teams as water is to grass. Both praise and water are sources of nourishment, and both require intentionality and mindfulness. Think about it. Imagine it’s July… in Georgia. An unbearable 98.7℉. Now, think about what would happen to the grass in Georgia if it didn’t receive any water for a while. I don’t know about you, but I’m picturing lots of brown and yellow lawns… except for that one guy who makes it a point to sit on his front porch and water his lawn on a daily basis. I think it’s safe to say that this school year has probably felt like an entire year of July in Georgia, and a lot of educators are feeling like brown and yellow lawns in need of some water. For educators, that water is praise.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t highlight what many of you may be wondering, “How much praise is too much?” Two things to note here. One, there really isn’t a cap on how much praise a person can tolerate. Two, praise doesn’t replace constructive criticism, but complements it. Praise should be balanced with an appropriate amount of feedback and aligned to how an individual feels valued. Finding out what makes your people feel seen and how to best show your appreciation is an important component of effective praise.
Additionally, don’t overlook the power of showing appreciation for the things you may deem as “bullet points on the job description.” Though you may feel as though these are basic requirements for remaining employed, remember that teaching children (the ultimate basic requirement) is a very challenging feat –every day. So, showing gratitude and placing value on “doing your job” helps educators feel seen and appreciated for their daily hard work.
Other things to give praise for:
Showing vulnerability
Seeking feedback
Implementing feedback
Stepping up as a leader
Building strong relationships with students
Being a positive example for colleagues
Showing initiative
Lending a helping hand
How to give praise:
Keep a running list of jobs well done. Just like you track how often an employee drops the ball on upholding professional responsibilities, be just as intentional about keeping track when an employee does well.
Positively reinforce the wins on your team. Don’t become a victim of dissatisfaction and don’t allow your people to become victims either. Employees should not hear from you only when something is wrong. Give good news, too!
Be specific with your praise. Identify exactly what someone did that was valuable and stamp the impact it had. Remember, praise not only fills buckets, it also creates repeat behavior. Clearly name the behavior you want to see again.
Ensure your praise is authentic and genuine. Praise can bring joy to our team. However, that joy can be fleeting if the praise is used for manipulation or is superficial and disingenuous. This can actually be harmful to morale and trust.
Be consistent. Again with the grass and water analogy: don’t water your grass once a year or even once a month. People need their buckets filled quite often. Make it a ritual on a weekly (or daily) basis to praise someone on your team.
Ideas for giving praise:
Place a dry erase board and marker on classroom doors and leave handwritten notes of appreciation.
Step up your game with the school’s social media by frequently spotlighting a teacher or colleague for being awesome.
Make Morning Huddles a thing-thing. Play someone’s theme music in the background as you give them praise for something specific.
Use your School Newsletter to celebrate someone/people for their hard work or achievement.
Add a public Shoutout Board in the hallway for you and others to share words of affirmation for valued teammates.
Dedicate time at faculty meetings or PLC workshops to relish in the "wins and wows."
Introduce “Room Service'' for your Teacher of the Week. Hang a door tag for him/her/they to submit a personal order for coffee or lunch to be delivered to the classroom.
Note: Love languages are important; so while words of affirmation are great, some may prefer gifts or acts of service.