I don't know if you've read The Way of the Superior Man
Yes, I did read most of it. I had issues with a lot of it's gender stereotypes, but I think the specific case of my wife may fit. Actually, giving praise is just sound behavioral psychological practice. Giving reward for positive behavior reinforces the positive behavior. There's room enough for everyone in Skinner's Box.
I had a case last week where my boss told me that a guy who works for me complained to him that he thought I took credit from him in a meeting on Tuesday. After I got done fuming about this guy going over my head, I decided I would talk to him about the meeting to find out what specifically I said to piss him off (I couldn't remember). What I did instead was praised his work loudly, in his presence, during a much bigger meeting Friday. He actually thanked me afterwards. So you see, it's not just women who flourish from praise.
The bonus was that I avoided having one of those "conversations" with my employee, and just fixed it by doing something different. Don't say what you are going to do, just do it.
SM
"If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment." Henry David Thoreau
