It’s stronger than coffee, more powerful than any energy drink and more beneficial for your business than you could ever imagine. And it can help create a happier and more motivated workforce. Have you realised the power of praise in making the most of your team’s talents?

Employee motivation is a must for every business – especially in the current economic climate. You believe in what your business has to offer, but if your staff don’t, what’s it all worth? Research has revealed that staff perform better and achieve more with the timely application of genuine praise. Not just from managers but from colleagues, too.

We human beings need to feel valued. It’s what interests and involves us and gets us at our best. Yet it’s all too easy in the hurly-burly of daily life to overlook the valuable contribution that individual staff members make every day. But with the right kind of approach and motivation training, you could be on your way to boosting your team’s performance.

Don’t Fake It

Keep your praise real and you’ll keep your people on board. Make your compliments genuine and honest. They’ll mean more to your team.

It’s the Little Things that Count

You don’t have to deliver an elaborate compliment in flowery language. Just regular, thoughtful praise. A quick, but considered comment recognising someone’s hard work is all it takes. You don’t even need to use words. Friendly, appropriate gestures such as a pat on the back, a nod, or even a thumbs-up can do the trick too.

Don’t Hold Back

As a new manager or with a new employee you may think you need to be cautious with praise. But the sooner you start recognising your employees’ achievements, the sooner you’ll develop a rapport with them. They’ll associate you with feeling positive and that can only be good for your business!

Be Creative

Try smart little ways of showing your staff how much you value them. Ask them what they think by saying things like: “I’d like to hear your view on this, Clare.” There are other ways to boost employee morale and business performance. You can recognise outstanding effort with simple, but meaningful gestures such as writing a note, sending an e-card, or giving a small present or even time off.

So now you know. Don’t ply your people with coffee to get the job done. Motivate them with recognition. After all, genuine praise is the ultimate energizer. Staff morale is a wonderful thing. It gets things done, it creates a better working environment and ultimately it helps keep your business healthier and happier.

Find out how to make the most of your workforce with our Motivating Your Employees training course. We can give you straightforward, no-obligation advice on your training options and tell you how to access training grants. Contact us now.

Every employee has an important part to play in a business. But there’s no doubt that a company’s success still very much depends on the people at the top. The number of people entering managerial roles has increased significantly, with managers taking on a growing range of responsibilities. But while managers think about keeping their team’s skills up to date, do they recognise how management training could benefit them? After all, managing people is a complex task, only slightly less demanding than herding cats. So here are three top tips for happier managers, more motivated staff and a healthier business.

Tip one: Engage your ears.

What makes your employees turn up to work every day? No, it’s not simply boredom or the need to pay the bills. Every one of us has individual motivations, interests and values. And these lie behind your employees’ choice to work at your company and not the place down the road.

Find out what interests your people and you’ll find fresh ways to boost their performance. You don’t need any special equipment. Just your ears. They can be very powerful tools when used properly, for example to find out what people actually think about their jobs. This is valuable information – so act on it. Identify ways to support your employees’ interests, for example sports-mad staff might jump at the chance of a company footie team with time out to train. What about listening out for changes to an employee’s family situation and recognising how a little more flexibility could make a huge difference to their busy day? Acknowledge what’s important to your staff and they’ll reward you with even more commitment.

Tip two: Lead the way – but don’t shoulder the weight.

Ever heard of the conductor who played all the instruments himself? Well that’s how crazy it is to be a manager and try to do everything yourself! You’re there to lead, whether that’s an orchestra, an assembly line or a department. You need to match your talent at what you do with a gift for delegation. This will help you manage your time better, improve your organisation’s performance and win the commitment of your staff.

Tip three: Put down the welcome mat

Ok, a ‘welcome’ mat on the floor outside your office isn’t actually necessary, but you’d be amazed at the impact of a friendly ’open door’ approach to your staff. When you’re busy conducting that orchestra, it’s all too easy to see visits from employees as a distraction. And that’s when communication breaks down. Regularly remind people that you’re happy to hear about any questions or concerns they might have. See these issues as a great opportunity to show your team how much you want your company to be a good place to work. Do that and your staff will help make your organisation even more successful.

Learn more great management secrets on our course What Good Managers Do: the First 100 days.

There’s no getting away from it. Change is everywhere right now – in business, finance and almost everywhere else. Eventful and unexpected changes like these are a reminder that nothing is set in stone. Yet many businesses are run on the mistaken belief that we can predict and control the future. So how can organisations get better at adapting to shifts in the marketplace?

In his new book, Survival is Not Enough, marketing guru Seth Godin argues for the importance of evolution in business survival. Far from being something that belongs just in classrooms or nature documentaries, evolution is vital to every successful organisation. It’s not simply a case of being open to change – it’s about constant development

Change – the only thing you can be sure of

In his book, Godin highlights how change is happening more and more quickly in our world. But businesses still resist it. This resistance is often built right into the way an organisation works. However, in unsettled times like these, set ways of working can become a serious barrier to success. As Godin points out, a business is not an isolated being. It’s an organism that interacts with many other organisms and which is affected by its environment. So we need to take a different view.

Evolution – the answer to a better business future

Instead of hanging on to tried and tested business strategies, Godin argues that evolution is the most powerful tool we have for dealing with change. And that means accepting – not fighting – change. His innovative approach, called zooming, is about training people constantly to make small changes. This in turn creates a more effective organisation designed to go with the flow of change.

Zooming, penguins, and the big idea

Penguins do it. Most businesses don’t. Godin argues that the majority of organisations are based on the assumption that we operate in a stable world, where we have some control over happens next. That’s why so many organisations fail to respond positively to change. But for the humble penguin, evolution is an everyday thing. They’re constantly adapting. Unlike most businesses, which get to a certain point where they’re satisfied with their successes. And stop growing. That’s when change leaves them behind.

Godin’s zooming idea is simple and very smart. Build in an overlying strategy to create a business that is so highly flexible and responsive that it is truly prepared for whatever might happen. Right now, are your people ready to adapt to the demands of the next few years or even months? How could embracing change help you stand out in your marketplace?

Change is here to stay. Are you ready for it?

Get your business better prepared for the future with a half day Change Management business training in Nottingham.

As someone wise once said, “Nothing endures but change.” As this comment by the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus  highlights, change is the only certainty in life. Another wise person has done extensive research into the ways we respond to this fact of life.

Everett Rogers’ studies cover the full spectrum of change. His Diffusion of Innovations Model can help all of us identify ways to respond powerfully to change. Rogers’ view is that “The degree that a person is open to change and innovation will seriously affect the rate of change.” He identified five categories of innovativeness. Which one are you?

Innovators – in at the start

According to Rogers’ research, Innovators are the first 2.5% of the population to adopt new ideas. They’re the intellectual risk takers who get connected with other innovators. These are the experimenters who can understand and apply complex technical concepts. They’re also able to withstand a high degree of uncertainty.

Early Adopters – an important influence

Making up the next 13.5% of the population, Early Adopters are usually more integrated into the local system than Innovators. These people are good at influencing friends and colleagues. They successfully put new ideas into practice. This is often the most influential group because others respect their opinions about new innovations.

The Early Majority – sharing ideas

The next 34% of the population is made up of the Early Majority. They’re usually just ahead of the average members of the group when it comes to adopting new ideas. They might not have as much influence as the Early Adopters, but they do help spread ideas and connections.

The Late Majority – a cautious approach

The next 34% features the Late Majority. These people are likely to adopt changes just after the average member of a system. Peer pressure is likely to get them to adopt new ideas, but they usually remain sceptical and cautious! They like to know what they’re getting into before they make a change.

Resisters – taking their time

Resisters are the final 16% of the population to adopt innovative changes. Their decisions are usually based on what has been done before. Resisters are generally suspicious of both innovations and change agents. They often need to be sure that a new idea won’t fail before they can adopt it.

Did you recognise yourself and the people you know? Are you a shaper or a follower of change?  Rogers’ research shows that for change to really take hold, at least 15 or 20% of a target population must accept it. Early Adopters are the most vital group for change because they’re the ones who have links to the innovators and to the more cautious groups. Want to make change happen in your business or personal life? Understanding the people around you and how they relate to innovation is a vital step towards making things happen. Are you going through change? Then join our Change Management for Managers course.