Everyone deserves to celebrate their strengths and there’s nothing better than having someone else compliment them and point out what they do well. Calling out someone’s strengths helps build their esteem and can build better teams.
Whether its team building at work, home, or in the community, people respond favorably to being lifted up. It invigorates them and helps motivate them to give their best. You can do your part to increase morale by becoming a cheerleader for other people and their strengths.
There are plenty of easy ways to call out strengths in other people. Try some of these-
Use ice breakers to compliment people in groups- Ice breakers are a fun way to get people comfortable and start talking. Develop ice breakers that encourage compliments between attendees. Sharing positive feedback about one another can bond a group and build a supportive team.
Use mealtime to call out strengths in others- Mealtime is a wonderful time to uplift and encourage. Sharing positive thoughts about your family members around the table can build self-esteem and make giving compliments a normal part of life. Supporting family and highlighting their strengths builds trust and strengthens the family as a whole.
Brag about people right in front of them- Stating the obvious and bragging about someone to other people while they are there may make them feel slightly embarrassed, but it truly does have a positive impact. Being sincere about someone’s strengths and making sure others know about it can create a domino effect of support and praise that builds people up.
Give awards and encourage participation- From employee of the month to special mentions in all-staff emails, there are lots of ways to give recognition to staff, volunteers, or other team members. Making it part of the community culture to support and compliment others for their strengths makes a positive impact. Encourage teammates to recommend peers for an award or mention can make the activity all-inclusive instead of management driven.
It doesn’t take much to make someone feel special and important. Acknowledging strengths in others makes them feel seen and valued. Homing in on attributes, strengths, skills, or assets they bring shows that you and others are paying attention and it fosters good will among everyone involved.
Make giving compliments and encouragement a routine part of your home and work life and build people up everywhere you go.
