It’s great to hear in the news that England has make history by reaching the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup for the first time, beating hosts Canada.

The Lionesses made a dream start with two goals in three minutes as Jodie Taylor, making her first World Cup start nine weeks after knee surgery, capitalised on Lauren Sesselmann’s blunder. England have now reached the World Cup semi-final for the first time in their history, as the victory over hosts Canada has now set up a tie with reigning champions Japan.

For me, football is a great example of teamwork and the spectacular results that can happen as a result; the Lionesses are a perfect case in point. I am sure their Captain, Steph Houghton and Coach, Mark Sampson are heaping praise on all members of the team, not just the outstanding foot players.

Research has shown that praise, when delivered effectively, can have a positive impact on employee motivation, loyalty and even health. I am sure Mark Sampson is well aware of this as he prepares the team for the match against Japan.

Following these five top tips will ensure that the praise you offer your people at work really hits the mark.

1.Right approach

When it comes to praising your team members, there are lots of different approaches you can take.

Praise can be received face-to-face, over the phone, by email, as well as in public.

It’s important to choose an approach that both you and the person you’re praising feel comfortable with. You should also take into account the amount of time you and the other person have, and your location.

If the other person works remotely, for example, sending them an email or contacting them over the phone might be better than waiting until you see them in person.

2.Be sincere

The praise you offer will only have a positive impact if it’s genuine, and sincerely expressed.

Be sure to deliver praise in your own words and explain what your team member’s achievements mean to you, the team and if appropriate, the wider organisation.

3.Be specific

Identify the specific behaviour, action or achievement you want to praise.

Avoid generic phrases like “great job” or “well done”. Instead, provide some detailed feedback like “the report you gave me this morning was exceptional – the extra details you added answered a lot of the questions I was going to ask.”

4.Be fair and consistent

It’s important to be fair and consistent when delivering praise, and for team members to feel that you do so without favouritism and bias.

Be sure to offer praise wherever it’s due and to offer an equal degree of praise for similar achievements.

It’s key to praise the day-to-day efforts of your team members, as well as the accomplishments of star performers.

5.Praise teams too!

Group success should be praised as regularly as individual achievements.

For large or remote teams or departments, it might not be possible to praise everyone in person, but a heartfelt email, note or memo addressed to everyone involved can be equally effective.

Whenever someone achieves something outstanding, or goes the extra mile, be sure to make a note of it so that you can bring it up at the next performance review meeting. Of course, it’s still important to praise them at the time of the achievement as well.

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