How to Give Praise (Credit to Kim Scott)

"Shout praise and whisper criticism."

Praise is part of the feedback process. It shows appreciation and encourages more of the same good work. It 'asks' for more. 

A lot of this piece is unabashedly stolen from Kim Scott. 

How can you go wrong? We can direct praise to the wrong person. 

How much? Focus on the good stuff (be specific).

What does great praise look like? HIP

The point of praise is that it's about them not about us. "If it's something you would say to a dog, it's probably not helpful."

If not immediate, we may forget. 

The purpose of praise is reinforcing what needs to be continued. 

"In the meeting, when you gave both sides of the argument, you earned credibility." A sentence gives the context, observation, and result. What's next?

Avoid qualifiers. "You did well BUT" differs from "You did well AND." 

The ratio of positives to negatives should be at least 3:1 and ideally 5:1. 

Some people share praise easily while others find it harder. Put ourselves in the position of the recipient. Praising better takes practice. 

Lagniappe. Intangibles. 

What are the INTANGIBLES that make great players?

- Mental Toughness
- Resilience
- Work Ethic
- Attitude
- Coachability
- Passion
- Teamwork
- Adaptability
- Confidence
- Perseverance

What else?

— Greg Berge (@gb1121) September 27, 2023

Lagniappe 2. Want to be our best.  

BAD Players: don’t take much seriously.

AVERAGE Players: take games seriously.

GOOD Players: take games & practices seriously.

GREAT players: take academics, nutrition, film, warm ups, individual work, weight room, practice, and games seriously.

~ via @TheCoachLJ

— Jamy Bechler (@CoachBechler) September 26, 2023

Lagniappe 3. Get more resources.  

I’m adding small-sided games literally everyday over on YouTube Shorts. You coaches and players subscribed??https://t.co/I6gkfBGQq3

— Coach Tony Miller (@tonywmiller) September 26, 2023