Chapter 34. Use Positive Reinforcement Motivation

If your staff does something good, tell them. And then tell them again. And again. Keep it up. Put it in writing. Send them a memo—something they can keep. Put it in the company newsletter. Add a note to their file. Whatever, but make it widely known they did good. This is a quick—and cheap (important, with your limited budget)—method of praising and motivating your team (and individual members of course) and it lets everyone know you are monitoring, praising, and motivating.

When you praise people, make it simple. If they worked late to get a special order out, say, “Thank you for working late, we couldn’t have done it without you. Your positive response to a difficult situation made everyone’s job (especially mine) a lot easier. Thank you.”^* That’s a whole lot easier than, “On the evening of the 7th you were asked to implement an extra shift duty, which you carried out in accordance with our wishes and for which we wish to convey our gratitude, blah, blah....”

^* Reinforce by saying thank you again.

Let them know why you are thanking them—you made my job easier—rather than just thanking them for what they did—you came in for an extra shift.

Be personal. Use “I” and “we,” not “management.” And say “thank you” in the same way as you would speak. “I want to thank you” is so much better than “The management wants to express its gratitude”—who speaks like that?

Praise as soon as the job is done, not a week later—do it the next day at the latest. And do it every time people do something beyond their normal brief. If they are asked to work an extra shift every week, that is just a part of their normal working pattern; instead, we are talking here of the extraordinary, the beyond the normal, going that extra mile sort of stuff.

If you reinforce positive behavior in this way, you will almost certainly guarantee it happening again. Fail to notice, to comment, to praise, and chances are your team will stop giving you their best—and who can blame them?