Comments on: Addressing the “praise deficit”: young workers putting a strain on organizations and organizations are responding inappropriately http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2007/06/13/addressing-the-praise-deficit-young-workers-putting-a-strain-on-organizations-and-organizations-are-responding-inappropriately/ Think. It ain't illegal yet... Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:25:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Scholars and Rogues » Blog Archive » Is Obama the new JFK? http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2007/06/13/addressing-the-praise-deficit-young-workers-putting-a-strain-on-organizations-and-organizations-are-responding-inappropriately/comment-page-1/#comment-11414 Scholars and Rogues » Blog Archive » Is Obama the new JFK? Mon, 07 Jan 2008 19:31:12 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=704#comment-11414 [...] respond to those who cater to them. In fact, they demand it. Again, this is an artifact of their upbringing. It has its downside, obviously, but the relevant [...] [...] respond to those who cater to them. In fact, they demand it. Again, this is an artifact of their upbringing. It has its downside, obviously, but the relevant [...]

]]> By: Sam Smith http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2007/06/13/addressing-the-praise-deficit-young-workers-putting-a-strain-on-organizations-and-organizations-are-responding-inappropriately/comment-page-1/#comment-5267 Sam Smith Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:56:13 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=704#comment-5267 Right - and as I indicate in the post, these kids DO know the difference. But they Right – and as I indicate in the post, these kids DO know the difference. But they

]]> By: Brian Angliss http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2007/06/13/addressing-the-praise-deficit-young-workers-putting-a-strain-on-organizations-and-organizations-are-responding-inappropriately/comment-page-1/#comment-5266 Brian Angliss Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:45:33 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=704#comment-5266 I'm technically an Xer, but am young enough in that group to have some of the traits given to Millenials. As such, I understand the need for praise. I may know that my work is great, but if I don't occasionally hear that it is, I get depressed and start questioning my own confidence in my abilities, and as a result the quality of my work suffers. But there are also times when I actually get offended by empty praise. It's very much like Dash says in <em>The Incredibles</em>, "If everyone is special, no-one is." And since I'm exceptionally skilled in some areas, being praised for something that every electrical engineer has to be skilled in to do their job just makes me feel like an also-ran. There's another aspect of praise for just showing up that you haven't talked about, at least not directly - how praise can actually REDUCE performance instead of improve it. For example, if an engineer get praised for something so basic as to be a fundamental aspect of his or her job, it makes them think that they can get away with doing lower quality work and still get praise (in the form of perks, raises, promotions, etc.) And so that engineer could potentially backslide from their actual potential to the level expected by the praise given. Praise in some form is important, but if it's not meaningful praise, then I think you're doing yourself more harm than good. I’m technically an Xer, but am young enough in that group to have some of the traits given to Millenials. As such, I understand the need for praise. I may know that my work is great, but if I don’t occasionally hear that it is, I get depressed and start questioning my own confidence in my abilities, and as a result the quality of my work suffers.

But there are also times when I actually get offended by empty praise. It’s very much like Dash says in The Incredibles, “If everyone is special, no-one is.” And since I’m exceptionally skilled in some areas, being praised for something that every electrical engineer has to be skilled in to do their job just makes me feel like an also-ran.

There’s another aspect of praise for just showing up that you haven’t talked about, at least not directly – how praise can actually REDUCE performance instead of improve it. For example, if an engineer get praised for something so basic as to be a fundamental aspect of his or her job, it makes them think that they can get away with doing lower quality work and still get praise (in the form of perks, raises, promotions, etc.) And so that engineer could potentially backslide from their actual potential to the level expected by the praise given.

Praise in some form is important, but if it’s not meaningful praise, then I think you’re doing yourself more harm than good.

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