How to Create an Atmosphere Where You Can Say "Nice!" Even When You Fail

Did you wash the dishes?
I've already put them in the dishwasher.
Nice!

Don't you think it would be powerful if we could offer this kind of light praise in the workplace, too?

In my home, this happens quite naturally.
Helping out. Taking initiative. Getting a task submitted.
When someone does something that 'should be done,'
everyone says, 'Nice!'

The person who did it says 'Nice!' too.
Even if they fail, they say 'Nice!'

This part is subtly important.
Our 'Nice!' isn't an evaluation of character.
It's praise for an 'action.'

That's why it's light.
That's why it lasts.
That's why it doesn't cause friction.

I felt the same thing when watching
snowboarding and skateboarding.

If they succeed, of course everyone gets excited.
But even if they fail, there's applause.

That's probably because,
before looking at 'skill,'
they are looking at the 'attempt.'

They chose a difficult trick.
They didn't run away.
Even after falling, they aimed for the next one.
Applause arises for that attitude.

After watching, I think to myself,
it would be powerful if this happened at work, too.

However, it suddenly becomes difficult in a workplace setting.

If a boss praises a subordinate,
it might look like favoritism.
If praise sounds like an evaluation,
the people around get restless.
A culture where subordinates praise their bosses is rare to begin with.
Even praising each other among peers involves shyness or hesitation.

Companies have hierarchies.
They have evaluations.
They have conflicting interests.
Because of that, praise
tends to take this form.

Praiser (superior) / Praised (subordinate)

If it stays in this form,
praise is unlikely to become a 'culture.'
It ends up depending on the boss's personality.
The question 'What's the criteria?' remains, and it quietly fades away.

So, what should we do?

The hint lies in the home and in sports.
In both cases, what is being praised is
not the 'person,' but the 'movement.'

Therefore, even in the workplace, we shift the target of praise.

Don't praise the person.
Don't praise their character.
Pick up on the 'action of taking on a challenge.'

This alone makes it feel less like favoritism.
Because it becomes 'observation' rather than 'likes and dislikes'.

For example.

Instead of 'That's amazing,' say
'You chose the harder path.'

Instead of 'You're excellent,' say
'You put it out there even though it was uncertain.'

Instead of 'You worked hard,' say
'You consulted with me early on.'

Not evaluation, but play-by-play.
Not judgment, but light praise.

I usually say 'Nice!' whenever
someone does something.
This is quite useful.
It's very effective.

And, if you want to make it a 'culture' in the workplace,
just add one thing.

After saying 'Nice!', take 1 to 5 seconds to
add what was nice using a verb.

Just a few words will do.

'Nice! You got ahead of it.'
'Nice! You shared it early.'
'Nice! You didn't hide your mistake.'
'Nice! You voiced a difficult opinion.'
'Nice! You put it out there as a hypothesis.'

What happens when you do this?

The person feels happy.
That's not all.
Those around them learn.

'Oh, we treat consulting early on'
as a good action.'
'Oh, sharing failures isn't blamed.'

Such rules are quietly shared through words.
Praise shifts from being an event to a habit.

The benefits for managers
are also clear.

It's less likely to feel like an evaluation.
It's harder to create a hierarchy.
You can pick up on things even if there's no success yet.
Challenges increase.

In other words,you can create an atmosphere where those who take on challenges 'don't lose out'.

I think the reason we are moved by sports
is because those who take on challenges are protected.

In the workplace, too, when that is in place,
people start to perform freely.

So, how do you try this within the company?

You don't have to change things in a big way.
An experiment is fine.

Starting tomorrow, for 7 days, just once a day.
Find someone's verb of challenge,

and try saying it.

You can say it in a meeting.
You can say it in a chat.
You can say it in passing.

It doesn't have to be flashy.

Consulted early.
Took initiative.
Shared a mistake.
Proposed an idea even if it was uncertain.
Took on a troublesome task.

Pick up on those small challenges,
and praise them lightly.

Finally.

You can do it naturally at home,
but it's difficult at work.
But perhaps,
what makes it difficult isn't your feelings,
but the lack of a framework.

If you have a framework, it will continue.
If you have a framework, anyone can do it.

'Nice!' is light.
Adding a verb makes it strong.
You can take this combination back to your workplace.

Tomorrow, just once.
Why not try it with your team?

Thank you for reading until the end.
For you who want to say 'Nice!',
for you who want to be told 'Nice!',
I hope this leads to some kind of realization or discovery,
I would be happy.