100 Ways to Motivate Others

41. Use Positive Reinforcement

The first duty of a leader is optimism. How does your subordinate feel after meeting with you? Does he feel uplifted? If not, you are not a leader.

—Field Marshall Montgomery

Nobody remembers it. Everybody seems to forget it. But positive reinforcement trumps negative criticism every time.

Why can’t we remember that?

We’re too busy chasing down problems and then criticizing the problem people who created the problems. That’s how most managers “lead.”

But that’s a habit trap. And like any other habit trap, there are certain small behaviors that will remove you from that trap. For example, you will want to pause a moment before e-mailing or calling any of your team players. You will want to take a moment. You want ...