One staff member whom I love and respect dearly confronted me a month ago and said she felt like I didn’t like her. Her comment came way out of left field for me, and I thought she must be out of her mind. When she began to explain her feelings to me, I realized that all of it originated from the fact that I don’t give positive feedback to her on a consistent basis.

Here are a few principles that we should all keep in mind about positive feedback:

1. It’s the surest way to motivate and inspire a team member.

2. It’s the most valuable form of payment we can give a team member.

3. It needs to be sincere. If you honestly don’t feel that you can praise the contributions of this individual—then at least affirm him or her for who he or she is in Christ and what the person means to you.

4. It needs to be specific. Praising and recognizing specific accomplishments is far more powerful than mass thank-yous.

5. It needs to be consistent. An annual awards dinner does not make up for an entire year of not praising those around us.