Why do Humans want to be praised?

The topic was the focus of yesterday’s lively conversation with my friend Jigyasa. She was making fun of the fact that I thrive on praise 😉

It’s human nature to enjoy hearing compliments, right? To feel valued, appreciated, and accepted is fundamental to human psychology. For our sense of belonging and identity to be fulfilled, we require affection from others; for our sense of admiration and value to be acknowledged, we seek to praise and praise alone.

Mark Twain famously said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.”

When others recognize my efforts, it makes me very happy. I feel motivated, alert, and prepared to tackle new endeavors.

Research has found that verbal acclaim has many positive psychological consequences. When given appropriately, compliments can build confidence, motivate, and unleash extraordinary results. If used improperly or not at all, it can destroy even the strongest team.

That being said, why do so many managers struggle to become proficient at one of their most important duties?

Many managers have an innate propensity to correct things. When one issue is resolved, they move on to the next one without pausing to give credit to those who helped them get there.

Dopamine, the feel-good brain neurotransmitter, is released in response to pleasant auditory stimuli/praises. People have a hardwired need to experience the same euphoria when they receive genuine praise.

Now that we know the issue and its value, we can praise more, more often, praise publicly (and correct privately).