Training Day Materials
1.14 Encouragement

Encouragement and praise are often used interchangeably. This segment is designed to help you understand the difference.

Please reflect on the following:

Reflective Questions

R1.14.1  Imagine you are facing the two gentlemen in the image and they tell you “You are great. And you are just so smart. You are wonder woman (superman).”

How does that make you feel?

R1.14.2  How would it make you feel if instead they would say “Thanks for solving the challenge questions that we couldn’t figure out. This has allowed us to complete the report on time and makes our team look really good. Your extra effort is very much appreciated.”

R1.14.3  What do you think is the difference between the approach in Question R1.14.1 and R1.14.2? Which statements target you as a person and which target a contribution you might have made?

R1.14.4  What is your reaction when someone tells you “You are a great nurse (doctor, technologist, student, mother, teacher, etc).” Enter your choice in the box below.

    a. I feel really good about it.

    b. I wonder about the speaker’s motivation.

    c. I think “What does he/she know about how good I really am?”

    d. I am embarrassed.