When I did work (many years ago), I usually ended up in a some kind of motivating role. Unfortunately, due to the way the systems were set up, that also put me into a leadership position. But I've never been a "stand on the podium and motivate the masses" kind of motivator. It's always been me down with the group, motivating individuals and placing them into the positions that they would be naturally best at.

The best "good job!" compliment was allowing me the freedom to do what I do best instead of trying to use me to force someone else's demands on the individuals. As long as I knew what needed to be done, I had no problem getting certain people into the positions they were good at.

But it wasn't just that. I also had a tendency to make things a little more tolerable if not fun. When I worked as a manager in the production line of the local newspaper, (the sorting machines), we'd have race type things going on. Like, each person at a machine, and two supporter's who'd keep the machine workers stacked without pausing the machines. The supporter's would compete over who could keep their three machines caught up. Or if on a friday night a bunch of people called in sick I'd jump into doing 2-3 machines myself...and depending on the one's I worked (thin flat sheets) I'd also provide support for those near me. If I only worked one machine, then I also worked support for everyone else.

Of the other two managers, one always stood on the other side of the sorting machine for when the machine clogged, so he could quickly unclog it. And the other stood around giving orders. (I hated her...and so did the other workers.) When me and the guy were in charge, everyone joked and had some kind of fun. When she was around, everyone was tense. She seemed to think (because of how quickly I had risen to my position) that I was interested in the next promotion. And while the promotion HAD been offered to me, I saw no point in my taking it. It would have been a complete change from working with the people and being where the action is....to becoming a pencil pusher. As far I as I was concerned, that girl could have that job. The extra money meant nothing if I couldn't enjoy my job.

In highschool jrotc, I became one of the "instructors" within the first half of the school year. I'd be given the lessons that were needed to be done, and I was the one who "taught" the class. There were a couple of people that did that for each class set. In my class, it more often came down to me and another girl (who was a jr to my freshman). She was sooooo boring, and bossy, and bitchy. We'd deliberately make her job harder. But I always tried to find a more interesting way to present the material. Whether it was role playing first aid stuff, treasure hunting for map reading skills, or making fun of the more boring stuff that could only be read. I quickly moved into drill instruction as well. (God, those were the days.)

Anyways, those were examples of what I considered "good job compliments". Allowing me to do what I do best, in the way I do it best.