The power of a (sincere) compliment

Recent research in neuroscience has shown that receiving sincere praise activates the same areas in our brain that are activated when we receive money or romantic attention (the ventral striatum and the ventral medial prefrontal cortex). Praise also releases the neurotransmitter Dopamine which is associated with motivation, focus and positivity.

In other words, it activates the reward circuit in our brain. When we receive a compliment for something we have done, it is essentially a signal to our brain saying ‘do it again’.

Leaders. How often do you give a compliment on your teams' work?