Here's a checklist to help you be a better manager by creating a more supportive environment. Do all four today. Offer personal congratulations. Doing so ranks first among 65 potential incentives in a survey of 1,500 employees conducted by Dr. Gerald Graham. A personal note from one's manager ranked second in Graham's survey.
Public praise is also effective.
Make time in staff meetings to acknowledge successes, for example. That's chief among reasons why people take a job and stay on it, according to the Families and Work Institute. You get what you reward. If you ignore good behavior, you will lose it, and perhaps the top performer as well. It's a small effort with a big payoff.