Maybe I Do Like Praise (But Only When It's Real)

-

Maybe I Do Like Praise (But Only When It's Real)

A personal reflection from inside the consulting world



In the corporate world, I never needed praise. I didn’t crave it. I wasn’t chasing gold stars.

I knew I was doing a great job—and if I wasn’t? I just wanted someone to tell me. Directly. So I could fix it and move forward.

Simple.

But something has shifted since I started running my own business.

Now, as fractional HR, I find myself deeply moved by the feedback I receive. When clients go out of their way to thank me, to say how supported they feel, or to reflect on how far their workplace has come—it lands differently.

It feels real.

Not performance management.
Not team-building fluff.
Not “keep her happy so she keeps working 80 hours a week.”

Just genuine appreciation.

And wow—what a difference that makes.

The Hidden Truth Behind Corporate Praise

Let’s be honest: in the traditional workplace, praise is often strategic.

Sometimes it’s used to smooth over burnout.
Sometimes it’s a substitute for raises that never come.
Sometimes it’s just… performative.

It’s not that recognition isn’t important in the corporate world—it absolutely is. But when praise is used as a retention tool or morale patch, people sense it. And eventually, it stops meaning anything.

That’s probably why I never cared much for it back then. Because it wasn’t about me—it was about output.

Why Praise Feels Different Now

Now, when a business owner tells me they finally feel confident about their policies…

Or when an employee shares that they’ve never felt more heard in a meeting…

Or when a long-time client says, “We honestly wouldn’t have made it through this without you”—

It hits hard.

Not because I need validation. But because I know these people don’t have to say it. They’re not obligated to stroke egos or protect budgets. They could walk away at any time.

But they don’t.

They stay.
They trust me.
They see the work—and they say something.

That’s not ego fuel. That’s relationship-building. That’s truth.

What This Means for Your Workplace

This experience has taught me something I now carry into my client work:
Recognition doesn’t have to be constant—but it does have to be real.

So if you're in a leadership role, consider this:

🚫 Don’t reserve praise for annual reviews
🚫 Don’t use it to sugarcoat overwork or delay hard conversations
🚫 Don’t make it feel transactional

Instead:

✅ Recognize effort in real time
✅ Acknowledge impact, not just metrics
✅ Let people know you see them—and mean it

Because even the most independent, hard-working team members—like me—may not need praise to function.
But they’ll absolutely thrive when they know it's honest.

Final Thought

Maybe I’ve changed. Or maybe I’ve just come to value honest feedback—whether it’s tough truth or heartfelt praise—more than ever.

Turns out, it’s not about whether I like praise.
It’s about where it’s coming from.

Let’s Build Something Real

Ready to create a culture where recognition actually means something?
Whether your team is starved for honest feedback, stuck in performative praise cycles, or just struggling to communicate effectively—Purciarele Group can help.

🛠 From coaching and culture audits to HR strategy and policy redesign, we help businesses build workplaces where people feel seen, supported, and truly valued.

📅 Let’s talk. Schedule your complimentary consultation today.
💬 Honest feedback. Practical solutions. Zero fluff.

Click Here👉 Purciarele Group We love HR—so you don’t have to.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HR Red Flags You're Ignoring—Until It's Too Late

-
Image
HR Red Flags You're Ignoring—Until It's Too Late By Purciarele Group – HR Simplified! Some business problems announce themselves with sirens. Others start with a whisper: a missed deadline, a frustrated employee, an awkward silence in a meeting. Too often, leaders dismiss these as “normal growing pains” or “people stuff that will work itself out.” Spoiler alert: it won’t. And by the time you're forced to act, it’s already cost you— in morale, productivity, reputation, or turnover. We've seen it all. These five HR red flags are the quiet killers of great teams. And if you're seeing any of them? It's time to stop ignoring and start addressing. 🚩 1. Your Best Employee Has Gone Quiet They used to take initiative, offer ideas, and mentor others. Now? They’re doing the bare minimum, logging off early, or making passive comments like, “I’m just keeping my head down these days.” What it really means: Disengagement is setting in. They’ve lost trust in lea...
Read more

Unmasking Passive Toxicity Before It Undermines Your Culture

-
Image
The Most Dangerous Person in Your Workplace Might Be ‘Nice’ Unmasking Passive Toxicity Before It Undermines Your Culture When you hear “toxic employee,” you probably picture someone who yells, resists authority, or blatantly pushes boundaries. They’re disruptive, loud, and unmistakable. But there’s another kind of toxicity—one that’s far more dangerous because it hides in plain sight. It’s the employee who smiles in meetings, avoids conflict, and presents as “easygoing” or “supportive.” They’re often described as nice —and on the surface, they probably are. But dig deeper, and you may discover that this same person is quietly derailing your team through passive-aggressive behaviors, manipulation, or strategic avoidance. This is passive toxicity —and it can do just as much damage, if not more, than overt misconduct. What Passive Toxicity Looks Like This kind of behavior doesn’t always leave obvious footprints, but over time, it corrodes trust, collaboration, and performance. You...
Read more

HR & the Spirit of Summer

-
Image
 ☀️ HR & the Spirit of Summer: Bringing a Little Sunshine Back to the Workplace Do you remember what June used to feel like? The countdown to the last day of school. The sound of flip-flops smacking against the pavement. Ice cream trucks blaring their music down suburban streets. Sleepovers. Sprinklers. Fireflies. Long days at the pool followed by even longer nights of freedom. Summer wasn’t just a season—it was a feeling. Then… you grew up. And June became just another month on the calendar—packed with meetings, deadlines, and quarterly goals. Summer break turned into “business as usual,” with the whimsy buried under piles of paperwork, overflowing inboxes, and calendars blocked from 9 to 5. But what if summer didn’t have to vanish? What if we could bring some of that childhood magic back—right into the workplace? As an HR consulting firm that partners with businesses across the country, we hear the same thing over and over again from leaders and employees alike: burnout does...
Read more