“A bit of perfume always clings to the hand that gives roses” is a very popular Chinese saying. This describes the art of giving and the happiness derived from the joy of giving and making a positive change in the world. Appreciative Intelligence and appreciative inquiry are two fundamentals of success. These fundamental principles were first coined in the 1990s in Silicon Valley when entrepreneurial growth in the software industry was at its nascent stage. The following are details about this positive outlook in the industry:
Appreciative Intelligence
Appreciative Intelligence is the positive way of looking at a situation. A person’s capacity to look for the positive in any situation and find talent or solutions or breakthroughs or even create products that can work well and provide success to the enterprise. This is a person’s ability to look at a small seed and picture a mighty oak that can grow out of it. It is a very positive and bold way of looking at life and very few people are gifted with this kind of appreciative intelligence. These people have a knack of reframing a situation and spotting the potential for growth. Appreciative inquiry approach with artificial intelligence builds resilience, motivates the workforce and creates a positive and successful environment in any business. Employees are inspired by such a work culture.
What Employees Value at Their Workplace
Trust building factors and company environment plays a critical role in maintaining a good work environment and also making the employees believe they are part of a successful group of people who contribute towards the profits of the enterprise. The factors like giving people a sense of importance and value of their work, taking care of the employees and giving gratitude to the employees for their work and sacrifices to make the enterprise a success. Such a positive work environment is also based on the principle of fairness and it is very important that there is equal opportunity, fairness, and justice in a work environment. Employees want a good salary but they many times value all these factors more than their paychecks. Recognition of a job well done is very important and superiors in a work environment need to create an atmosphere where excellence is rewarded and recognized.
The Value of Praise
Corporations and industries are like large families that need to be kept together and nurtured over time because it is an enterprise that is made of human beings. There are two types of families that exist. In some households, criticism is given out freely but never is a member of the family given praise for any achievement in life.
Not giving praise in a household or a corporation is the fundamental detriment to success. It is impossible to bring out the best in people without giving praise. Just giving criticism without any praise for a work well done is often very bad for a work environment. Sometimes people are not used to being praised ever in life and find it embarrassing to be praised in front of other people and do not know how to take praise.
How to Use Praise as a Motivation
People have to be taught how to praise others as for many it does not come naturally. Learning how to praise employees is essential. Employees can be praised in front of other people and they can even be sent a private email with praise for their work. Sometimes superiors do not go out of their way to praise their coworkers as they simply do not take the time out of their busy schedule to praise their employees. Praise has to be delivered at the right time and not after the moment has passed or after someone openly reminds a person to praise their employees. Fake and over the top praise does not make sense.
The words of praise have to be chosen well and a few good words of praise go a long way. Many books help people to learn how to praise. It is a good idea to just praise an employee for work well done and move on in the natural course of business.
Appreciative Intelligence and looking at the positives in the workforce as well as finding positive solutions is all a good idea. A positive perfume of appreciation, giving and positivity clings to the employer as well and it helps in the overall success of an organization.