If you are looking for some directions to implement a kudos system, take a look here… but if you already have a kudos system running and want some simple rules to better give kudos… this is the post.

Way more important than the system we use to give kudos, it is the way in which you give it. Giving kudos is a performative expression. So an expression that utterly causes an action. A so powerful tool MUST be handled with care and with charm. You want someone to feel appreciated so…

Be specific

Be specific about why you are saying thanks or props to someone. Is it about a talk? Did they give you a hand with something? They offered to cover something you needed to do when you were ill or just having a nice vacation day?

You can also be specific about this person’s features’. Saying you rock or best project manager ever is not very specific, but ‘you are a model of kindness and you are team building cement and I’ve never praised you for this’ is pretty specific even if you are talking about general things.

Explain the impact on you

Explain how this impacted you. In some cases, this is pretty obvious, but at a risk of being redundant, you can add why are you grateful about that thing you mentioned. For instance, their team-building abilities have contributed to making you feel better in the company, or you are the proponent of several new projects and their critical but engaged collaboration helps you to stay grounded.

Make it personal

Make it personal. This is what is said in the post where I found my inspiration for this section. But I personally think that this is included in the 2 previous points. And maybe in the kudos action itself. Kudos are not a company thing, but a horizontal sign of appreciation from a peer, or someone acting as a peer.

Stating your appreciation

State your appreciation. I like what they say in that post about this, however. Copying it here: “Explicitly stating your appreciation is even stronger than just saying thank you. You can end with something like, “I really appreciate you” or “I really appreciate all of your hard work.”

Bonus: don’t say “kudos to you” if you don’t send kudos

I hate this! If you have a way to send real kudos to a colleague (a p2 site, an app…): please NEVER say “kudos to this nice person” if you are not really sending kudos 😉

Note: When I answered to the kudos received in the first example that it was Ivan’s work… I of course also sent kudos to Ivan (see the 2nd one).

And that would be all. Say thanks, send kudos no matter the format and send them often!