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Make it a daily habit Be open and ready to recognize people in and outside work. Try to make it a daily habit to compliment, thank and credit people around you. You don't need to wait for something large and obvious to acknowledge. Allow small and inconsequential things to get your attention.

"If you see something that impresses you, a decent respect to humanity insists you voice your praise."

'Giving credit where credit is due is a very rewarding habit to form. Its rewards are inestimable.' Loretta Young

There are several things to learn from that story. The most important is the transformative power of praise versus the corrosive impact of criticism. I've had a number of occasions since then to test the powers of praise, and I find it an amazing force, especially for adults. Children are accustomed to a continual stream of criticisms and praise, but adults can go weeks without a compliment while enduring criticism both at work and at home. Adults are starved for a kind word. When you understand the power of honest praise (as opposed to bullshitting, flattery, and sucking up), you realize that withholding it borders on immoral. If you see something that impresses you, a decent respect to humanity insists you voice your praise.

"Wow. That was brave," is the best and cleanest example I've seen in which looking at something in a different way changes everything. When the instructor switched our focus from the student's poor speaking performance to her bravery, everything changed. Positivity is far more than a mental preference. It changes your brain, literally, and it changes the people around you. It's the nearest thing we have to magic.

There is a huge power in a few simple words of thanks.