Kannustinsana

Kannustinsana, literally translating to "an encouraging word" in Finnish, refers to a brief expression used to acknowledge effort, progress, or potential and to motivate someone. It is commonly employed in educational settings, parenting, sports coaching, and workplace leadership to reinforce desirable behaviors or learning strategies rather than merely judging outcomes. The goal of a kannustinsana is to support self-efficacy, resilience, and continued engagement.

A typical kannustinsana is specific, timely, and sincere. Rather than vague praise, it highlights concrete aspects of the person’s effort or strategy. Examples include phrases like “Great effort on solving that problem,” “I like how you used your notes to check your answer,” or “Keep going, you’re on the right track.” In Finnish practice, such statements are often combined with constructive feedback that guides future improvement.

In psychology, encouragement of this kind is aligned with process-oriented praise, which emphasizes effort, strategies, and improvement rather than fixed traits. This approach is associated with fostering a growth mindset, where motivation is sustained by belief in the ability to develop skills.

Culturally, kannustinsana is regarded as a tool within kannustaminen (encouragement) that should be authentic and balanced with other feedback. It is not a rigid formula but a contingent, context-sensitive expression tailored to the individual and situation.

See also: positive reinforcement, praise, feedback, growth mindset.