Can a Leader Give Too Much Praise?

Is it possible to give someone too much recognition?

Yes -- too much recognition or praise can backfire.   First, a leader needs to be sincere and make sure that the specific achievement is worthy of kudos.  Next, you need to know how each staff member wants to be rewarded most.  What may be a reward or great recognition for one person, may be an aversion or distasteful experience for another.  

We measure 10 key "Driver + Rewards Needs".   One of these is "Fame + Feedback" and I have two quick stories where the impact of rewards given with positive intent backfired. 

We had a health care client who rewarded a nursing manager as the "leader of the year."  

To honor her and to celebrate this distinction, they picked her up in a limo and brought her to a surprise party in the parking lot with employees there to cheer.  Unfortunately, she scored under 5% (out of 100%) on her need for Fame + Feedback.   She told me that if they ever did anything like that again that she would resign immediately. She was mortified and humiliated. She said it was the worst day of her life and tries not to think about it.  Her highest driver was actually Humanitarian Efforts so serving others was her calling, not calling attention to herself.

At a university's leadership institute, one director I had coached, who had a very low score on Fame + Feedback, rewarded a new employee with a balloon bouquet as thanks for bringing in a new corporate client.  She was trying to acknowledge that others frequently have a higher need for recognition than she did so her intent was positive. Well, with this gentleman, she was wrong. She sent the bouquet without having his Drivers + Reward data -- later to find out that his score on Fame + Feedback was even lower than hers. Of course we laughed after that situation happened but this did re-affirm the point of the need to know your direct reports' drivers and reward needs.

Interestingly, people with high Fame + Feedback scores may be compelled to leave jobs because they do not get sufficient thanks or appreciation for their contributions. Without being show the respect or visibility they so need, they feel disappointed or demotivated and may ultimately leave to seek something more satisfying. Keep in mind -- recognition doesn't cost the company anything.

The other 9 Drivers + Reward facets we measure include: Business + Finance (money, economic issues), Artistic Endeavors, Companionship + Affiliation, Amusement + Hedonism, Humanitarian Efforts, Power + Competition, Scientific Reasoning, and Safety + Security.  So the question is on all of these for each person: is it a driver, non-interest or aversion or unimportant to you?  Managers typically err by rewarding what they personally value most which may or may not match what the employee really wants and needs. While the intention may be sincere, rewards can backfire.  

Bottom line, learning what specifically motivates your employees (and what they don't like) will help you to keep them happy, fulfilled, energized and loyal.

Nancy Parsons