Praise, it can be uncomfortable to give and receive. As this Inc article points out employees are often embarrassed by praise and recognition while managers can become anxious about effectively giving out praise.

It goes on to say that the most important thing in giving praise is the quality of it and the amount of it will make praise effective.

So, the next time you observe an employee doing something you want to see more of, follow these 4 steps:

  1. Make sure you understand how your employee wants to be recognized, some prefer not to receive praise in front of a group.
  2. Make it timely. When a goal has been accomplished don’t wait to recognize your employee’s accomplishment or great behaviors.
  3. Be specific about what your team member accomplished and how it made a positive impact to the team and/or company.
  4. Deliver with enthusiasm. Share how you feel about what they did and be sincere.

Remember, people want and deserve praise when they earn it. So, take the time to practice recognizing your employees.