Effective praise by managers 'can engage employees in sales jobs'

Giving praise to employees is not only critical to employee performance, it is also an art form which should be learnt by managers, according to an expert.

Derek Irvine, writing for HRZone.co.uk, said that attributing praise in three areas he calls 'specific', 'actionable' and 'authentic praise' can lead to company success.

Mr Irvine said that specific praise goes beyond generic comments by telling the recipient what they did well, how that behaviour reflected the company's values and why it was important to the team.

"By giving employees such specific recognition, managers clearly communicate what is important and encourage them to repeat those actions in the future. For employees to want to repeat such desired behaviours, however, praise and recognition must be authentic," he commented.

Managers of people in sales jobs should also make sure that constructive criticism is offered separately to praise, as it gives off a confusing message if done at the same time.

Steven De Maio, blogging for HarvardBusiness.org, said that effective praise of employees can yield excellent work and encourages self-improvement in the recipient.

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By Wayne Bly and John Oak

Filed: 16-11-2009