ABSTRACT

This chapter offers guidelines and techniques for getting more beneficial impact from our conversations with others and with ourselves. A supportive conversation is most meaningful when it's personal. The "Flow of Behavior Change" model indicates that supportive intervention through interpersonal recognition is critical for making safe behavior more fluent. The recognition should not be general appreciation that could fit anyone in any situation. Because quality recognition is personal and indicative of higher-order attributes, it needs to be delivered in private. After all, the recognition is special and only relevant to one person. Keep a supportive conversation simple and to the point. Give the behavior-based praise a chance to soak in. The list of guidelines for giving quality recognition is not exhaustive, but it does cover the basics. Following these guidelines will increase the benefit of a conversation to support desirable performance.