The value of encouragement at work
Despite the fact that studies show that cash is often a great motivator, the mere act of encouragement does more to motivate an employee than money. People will respond more when given encouragement for a job well done. Since people succeed more in situations where they feel appreciated and honored, imagine what a few words of encouragement will do each day to their willingness to perform and excel. Even a simple “thank you” goes a long way in the grand scheme of things! Encouraging others also means challenging them to grow and think of new and innovative solutions to current business issues. Encouraging others also means truly empowering them to be a part of the organization and welcoming their ideas and participation to making the organization more successful.
How to accept criticism
We’ve all grown up with criticism in our lives. You are given a choice, you can either learn from it, or reject it and move ahead. When to take it, and when not to is a challenging idea. And especially at every work place, there is bound to be criticism, and not all of it is constructive. So, how do we deal with criticism, be it constructive or destructive? The first thing to do is listen to the criticism without interrupting or trying to give excuses, and then decide there and then if it is of any value. Not everything you hear does, if it does, great learn from it and move on. If it doesn’t than let it go. It does no good harping on it. At this point it is also advisable to consider the source of criticism. If the criticizer is a person you admire, look at the criticism as something you can learn from. No one knows everything, and no one is expected to. Sometimes, what seems like criticism is just someone trying to teach you something. On the other hand, if the criticism comes from someone you don’t respect or who doesn’t like you, there’s no use getting upset because he or she won’t care, and it will only hurt you. But if you are not going to discard the idea, you should first take some time to digest what has been conveyed to you. Once the bad aftertaste has subsided, you can think about the criticism objectively and consider how it can help you improve yourself.
Constructive criticism
We all are called upon to offer criticism on a regular basis, at home, on the street, at work, etc. Whether we make it constructive or not is up to us. The word “criticism” doesn’t have to denote unkind speech; when you offer criticism, you should engage in the act of helping someone become a better, more capable person. Hence, you should assume a positive attitude when criticizing, always mentioning the right thing first using phrases that suggest positivity instead of disapproval, giving praise freely when it is warranted. That way, you are making it clear that you are well aware of all the things the person is doing well on a general basis. Then, any criticism you offer will not be seen as offensive. At this point it is also important to note that who criticizes needs to value and invite criticism. Criticism can be promoted if the critic first invites criticism of his or her own behavior. By inviting criticism, a person can create a situation in which her or his criticism of another is seen as appropriate.
Converting criticism to encouraging guidance
It is important to know that the number one obstacle to success (reaching objectives) is discouragement and that the number one cause of discouragement is criticism. Criticism should not be required, and usually has negative results on any behavior. Some might even suggest that criticism is the opposite of encouragement, since criticism points out what someone is doing wrong (or not doing right) while encouragement focuses on a positive alternative and promotes progress. And while criticism releases negative energy, encouragement releases positive energy concluding that criticism usually does more harm than good. This means that anyone can improve, if shown how, without being told that they are not good. What is imperative is that they are encouraged and helped to improve without pointing out their faults. There is a slogan that illustrates an important theory about this, “You do not have to be bad to get better.”