Praise is Cheap—Until You Don’t Give It
Neglect rots ambition; praise fuels the fire
Recognition is free. It costs you nothing, yet it’s one of the most undervalued tools in leadership. So why do so many leaders hold it back like it’s a finite resource? Why is praise treated like a luxury, handed out sparingly as if it might somehow tarnish “excellence”?
Let’s be clear: Praise is cheap—until you don’t give it. When you withhold it, the price you pay is enormous. People don’t just want to be paid; they want to be seen, acknowledged, and valued. When that doesn’t happen, they disengage. Slowly, at first—quiet quitting is real, and it starts when people stop feeling like their work matters. They go from invested to indifferent, from engaged to checked-out. The spark? Gone.
Here’s the truth: No one ever quit because they were recognized too much. No one ever lost ambition because their boss praised their hard work. But we’ve glorified this absurd notion that withholding praise is what makes people stronger, more resilient. Nonsense. Neglect breeds resentment. Silence breeds stagnation.
If you think recognition weakens performance, you’re missing the point entirely. Praise isn’t about hand-holding or coddling—it’s about fueling ambition. It’s about reminding your team why they’re doing the hard work in the first place. It’s the catalyst for growth, not the reward for it.
So ask yourself: Are you using recognition to inspire and drive excellence, or are you letting your team starve for validation? Because if you’re withholding praise, you’re not leading—you’re just managing a slow-motion exit.