“You’ve done a great job.” “I love your work.” It feels great to get that kind of feedback. The problem is it doesn’t happen enough—at any level. We all appreciate being acknowledged. The paradox is that as much as we’re uplifted and energized by authentic praise, we don’t always see ourselves as the source of it, creating a cycle of unrecognized efforts. And unrecognized employees are three times more likely to quit.

If you’re looking for better employee retention, more productive employees, and better working relationships, the good news is there’s hard science behind the Praise Paradox and some simple ways to address it. We all have incredible power to influence how people feel—which affects how they perform. Our work lives are much more gratifying when we have the kind of influence we want. Regardless of position, we all have the power to affect positive behavior in others. And a pivotal piece involves praise.

This keynote brings a spirited, engaging approach to the science behind the human behavior regarding praise, and the lasting effects. Knowing how we’re hardwired frees us up to take advantage in ways that benefit not just ourselves, but those around us. By mining some of the micro-lessons from the award-winning Picture Yourself a Leader, audiences come away with new ways to make tiny adjustments that have outsized impact.