Take Time To Praise Your Co-workers

Have you ever found yourself wishing for an occasional pat on the back? If so, you're not alone. It's only natural to want some credit for your hard work. One of the most common complaints in the workplace is about a lack of recognition or acknowledgment for a job well done.

Don't rely on your boss for recognition. Not all bosses are trained to be effective managers. Some are too busy or stressed out to take time to praise their employees. Recognition is a two-way street. It may be that the reason no one verbalizes their appreciation for the work that you do is because they feel unappreciated themselves. How easy it is to slip into the mindset that if nobody does anything for me, I'm certainly not going to do it for others!

That cycle has to stop somewhere, and it might as well be with you. When was the last time you gave any kind of positive recognition to your boss, your co-workers or the employees who report to you? Have you recently delivered a sincere, heart-felt compliment that had no strings attached to it? Employees need that kind of emotional support in their jobs in order to feel fulfilled in their work.

You need to take time to praise co-workers who have done a great job. I once worked at a company where we had business cards that read, "Great Job," "Outstanding Job," "Exceptionally Outstanding Job." There was a place to fill in the name of the employee and your name. We could hand them out to any employee who we felt deserved the praise. It was easy to observe the pride and happiness in the faces of the recipients of these cards. They felt honored that someone had recognized the fact that they had done their job well.

Sometimes employees get so competitive they feel that saying something nice about a co-worker would cause them to give up the edge they need in order to get ahead. Or, they only say something nice because they expect something in return.

Cooperation builds success. No employees today are independent of their co-workers. No one can succeed alone, no matter how great his or her ability. Business today is more than ever a question of cooperation. People will grant your requests if you appeal to their self-interest. Keep in mind that co-workers are your internal customers. They may be in some other department, employees in your own area, or your direct supervisor.

Maybe you've always thought of them as co-workers, or as people you work with rather than for, but make no mistake--these are your primary customers.

Get six special reports loaded with tips on how to improve your workplace and build positive co-worker relationships in the Workplace Improvement Special Report Bundle.

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