Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.

Employees want equity (specifically, fair pay, benefits, job security), achievement (that is, to be proud of their work and their accomplishments, and, by extension, praise, recognition, and growth on the job), and camaraderie (cordial relationships with coworkers).

When praising someone, use the person’s name and the word “you” frequently. When criticizing someone’s performance or behavior, it is often best to change “you” messages to “I” messages to avoid the perception that you are verbally attacking the individual.