understanding validation

“There are two things people want more than sex and money... recognition and praise.” — Mary Kay Ash

Validation essentially is a communication skill that helps the people around you at work feel seen and heard and thus affirms their sense of self. When you show appreciation and respond positively to a person’s work, by extension you also affirm the value of that person.

We human beings are limited in what we can see, hear, and understand. It’s entirely possible for two people who watch the same event occur to see and appreciate different aspects and have completely opposite reactions. Validation is an avenue through which one person positions themself to understand another person’s point of view.

You must remember that no two individuals in your vicinity will need validation in the same way. Some workers who crave recognition will most likely need more explicit validation than those who are motivated by achieving set targets.