When teaching a kid, you scold him for doing bad things so that he doesn’t repeat it. But you praise him if he does something good. The next thing you know, he will try to avoid doing the bad things (if he’s a good boy and not the stubborn kind), and will work harder to do the good things. This theory applies to adults too.

If I do something, I don’t expect to be praised because it’s not a normal thing to do in our Asian culture. But it would be nice if people appreciate or compliment a little for the hard work I’ve done. That will tell me I’m actually doing it right, and I will work harder to improve it. And most importantly, I know there are people who appreciate my work.

On the other hand, if all I get is complaint, complaint and complaint (or destructive comment), I might give up on it. It’s the same thing when you scold a child without telling him or her what is wrong, and what he/she should not do.

It’s okay to complaint or to scold, but you must provide a valid reason. Without a valid reason, the person might end up living in fear, and not brave enough to take up new challenges. Thus, limiting the person’s creativity and overall performance.

But compliment or praise should not be used too freely as well. If you do that, it’ll not have the same strong impact anymore.

So choose the appropriate time, compliment the person and show that you appreciate the work done. That will encourage the person to work harder and to achieve greater heights.

Or if there’s something you don’t like, give constructive comments and teach the “child” what should not be done based on your opinions.