How Important are Words of Praise?

So much research has shown that people join a company but leave a manager. Yet so many managers think that all their team wants is a regular pay check. These managers are wrong.

Most people I have spoken with tell me that they want to know that they are doing a good job. The only way they will know this is being told as much by their boss. Their colleagues can tell them but it doesn’t mean as much as when it comes from your boss or someone in authority.

This was reinforced with something I saw on twitter this week.

Recently a high school drama class put on a school production of Alien with a tiny budget. That is a pretty big call! Looking at some of the stills and video on Twitter, it does look pretty cool.

Well word got around. The twitterverse got excited. Sir Ridley Scott, the man whose company made the original films heard about it. Seeing the fabulous job they did on a miniscule budget, he wrote a letter of thanks with some encouragement built in.

How do you think the kids, the teachers and the school feel right about now?
How delighted must you be when the person you are paying homage to lets you know you did an amazing job?
How thrilled would your team, family, colleagues, friends be if you told them how much they mean to you and how much you appreciate what they do?