Learning

Whether it's an employee or a student, offering compliments and praise for their work is important. It's not only kind, but it can also help motivate continued growth and long-term success. That said, there is such a thing as praising someone effectively.

Andy Luttrell, a social psychologist, and others argue that the most effective praise focuses on effort rather than assigning a trait or ability to someone's success or fixating on the final result.

In a video, Luttrell explains that comments like, "Wow, you got ten questions right, you're so smart," or "Wow, you got ten questions right, that's a perfect score," can boost self-esteem. However, that kind of praise may be limiting compared to feedback such as, "Wow, you got ten questions right, you must have worked really hard."

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According to Luttrell, children participating in a study on praise were given quizzes and then divided into three groups. One third received praise focused only on the result, another third were praised for an assigned trait or ability, such as being told, "You're so smart," and the final third were praised for their effort with feedback like, "You must have worked hard."

When given the choice between taking a more challenging quiz or an easier one, children who had been praised for their intelligence were more likely to choose the easier option than those praised for effort. Later, when the children took a tougher quiz and were told they performed worse than before, researchers asked whether they wanted to take the problems home to keep working on them. Most of the children praised for being smart declined, while the majority of those praised for effort welcomed the chance to keep trying.

While Luttrell focused his research on schoolchildren, the same psychology applies to adults in the workplace. When praise centers heavily on ability, traits, or results, people often feel motivated to protect that image. To preserve perceptions of being "intelligent," "beautiful," or "strong," they may take fewer risks that could threaten that reputation.

This hesitation can stem from ego, fear of being seen as lesser if things go wrong, or the belief that praise is only earned through successful outcomes. As a result, people who are consistently complimented for ability rather than effort can become stuck, avoiding challenges and limiting their own growth instead of reaching their full potential.

However, people who are praised for their effort are more likely to take chances, work harder, and pursue larger goals. Because their effort is recognized, they feel encouraged rather than pressured, making them less afraid to tackle challenges without needing to be perfect. While achievement still matters, emphasizing effort creates space to fall short, knowing their work will still be valued. And if they do fail, they're more likely to take risks again rather than retreat, continuing to challenge themselves and grow.

So the next time you pay someone a compliment, whether it's a child, a coworker, or anyone else, consider focusing on their effort. Saying things like, "I can tell you worked hard on this," or "I saw how much effort you put into that," can be powerful when they succeed. And if they fall short, encouragement such as, "You worked hard, and you'll do better next time," can boost them enough to make that achievement true the next time around.