A genuine compliment: little effort, big impact

A warm, sincere compliment can brighten someone's day and provide a significant boost to their self-confidence.

How does this positive power of appreciation actually work? Without getting too clinical: the effect of a compliment is essentially a chemical, biological matter. When you receive a compliment, your brain's reward center is activated, and you produce dopamine. This dopamine boosts your mood and motivation and gives you a sense of happiness.

For an employer, this is an important fact. When you receive a good compliment in the workplace, you see it reflected not only in a big smile but also in higher productivity. Conversely, if you receive too little recognition and appreciation, you experience a dopamine deficiency. You feel lonely and may even develop depressive feelings. There is a high chance you will start looking for another job where you are actually seen. It is not for nothing that a lack of appreciation from an employer is cited as the number one reason for resigning. So, there is every reason to provide your employees with regular compliments.

How do you give a good compliment?

1. Choose the right moment

Some compliments are suitable for a private setting, while at other times it is better to express appreciation in public. Choose the appropriate moment consciously. There is usually a difference between a compliment about personal traits and one about professional achievements.

Do you know someone who has always found it difficult to say 'no', speak a foreign language, or make tough decisions, and have they overcome such a personal hurdle? Usually, the recipient does not want something so intimate highlighted in a large group. It is better to compliment them when you are having coffee together, during a performance review, or on a lunch walk.

Has your colleague achieved a great result or completed a nice project? Then it is appropriate to put them in the spotlight openly. Just make sure to check if others were involved in the success. If so, everyone deserves a pat on the back, with the emphasis placed on their individual contribution to the achievement.

2. Give a meaningful compliment

A compliment is all the more valuable if you are very specific about why you appreciate someone. Superficial compliments, which could just as easily be given to any colleague or neighbor, often miss the mark.

So, make sure your compliment has substance. A compliment that you clearly haven't just tossed off, but one you have truly thought about. Consider why you are happy with your employee or colleague. Why does this particular employee stand head and shoulders above others? What added value does a certain effort or character trait have for you, other colleagues, or the organization? Do you see the effort it took for the other person to achieve a certain result?

When a compliment is chosen and delivered with such care, the recipient truly experiences it as a gift. The positive message lingers and provides a significant shot of dopamine. That makes someone happy!

3. No strings attached

Do you want to give a compliment to a manager, client, or business contact? Then choose the timing, tone, and content with extra care. The expression of appreciation should not come across as sycophancy, brown-nosing, or, worse, an attempt to get something out of the other person. As soon as a compliment feels like a 'what’s in it for me?' moment, the other person will tune out, stop taking the compliment seriously, and the relationship will cool down.

Therefore, choose a good, logical rationale for why you view a certain achievement or trait of the other person positively.

Speak sincerely, in your own words, and as much as possible from a position of equality.

4. Mention the positive effect

Link the other person's behavior or achievement to what it has concretely yielded. For example: you learned from it, the organization gained five new clients, you helped colleagues, or you significantly improved the production process.

Mentioning the effect not only gives your compliment extra substance (see tip 2), but it also creates a learning effect.

The recipient of your compliment may not have paused to consider the special achievement or unique personal trait before. Now that its effect has become clear, they can think about a way to achieve such a positive result again, or to make extra use of a particular talent.

5. Putting your money where your mouth is?

At the word ‘appreciation,’ some people may immediately think of paying out in hard cash.

From the above, it should be clear: a compliment is mainly about giving the other person a positive feeling, about knowing that their efforts are seen and appreciated.

So there is really no need to reach for the wallet right away, assuming, of course, that the other terms of employment are already well arranged.

Still, for a special achievement or a major event, an unexpected bouquet of flowers, a nice gift voucher, or another small gesture (of course accompanied by a nice card with a personal message) can definitely increase job satisfaction and strengthen the relationship. You don't have to hand them out with every compliment, but it is certainly worth not being too reserved about this either.

Such a tangible pat on the back is an extra reinforcement of your compliment.

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Start a culture of compliments, too
Of course, one company has a warmer vibe than another. Still, we are convinced that giving compliments belongs in every organization. After all, we are all human beings who could occasionally use a pat on the back or a little dopamine. Remember: lead by example. If you start handing out compliments and giving personal attention to your colleagues, others will soon follow on their own!

It can start with something small. Spontaneously leave a compliment card on your colleague's keyboard (there are countless examples on Pinterest), get coffee for the whole team after a week of hard grind, or write a nice recommendation on the LinkedIn profile of someone in your network. Need more inspiration or tips? Feel free to contact us. Questions like these put a smile from ear to ear on our faces!

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