In the spirit of the month of Thanksgiving, this month we take a look at rewards and recognition. The beauty of rewards and recognition is that anyone can do it–a budget isn’t needed and neither is authority.
You can look at rewards and recognition from three perspectives:
The Carrot
The carrot is the tangible reward. It is the raise or bonus or the annual high performer trip. It serves as the bar which you aim to reach and the motivation when you feel stuck.
The One-to-One Feedback
With one-on-one feedback, you tell an employee, a boss, or a coworker how they are doing. When it occurs between a supervisor and their subordinate, it should be an honest and candid two-way conversation that covers not only strengths and weaknesses, but also career aspirations and a personal and professional development plan. But upward feedback is also appreciated. And letting co-workers know know when they have impressed you or done an outstanding job is an excellent way to build trust in the relationship.
The Public Acknowledgment
While a private conversation about performance is effective, one way to really show respect and acknowledgment for exceptional work is to add in public praise that tells others inside and outside the company how well someone is performing. This is the ultimate way to elevate one’s status, one of the best motivators and drivers of engagement in humans.
Words of Wisdom
“Give generously to others. Give information, recognition, praise, feedback, and support. It will help you to savor all that has been given generously to you.”
~Patricia Crull, Chief Learning Officer, Time Warner Cable
“Work toward total engagement. The leader or organization that can treat people in a way that they voluntarily bring their whole selves to their work will have an enormous advantage. People need and have always needed to be appreciated, understood, and encouraged to contribute in meaningful ways. This will become increasingly important as the machinations of modern markets churn across the globe.”
~Nolan Godfrey, Organizational Development, Boehringer-Ingelheim
“Create an environment of open communication, share your knowledge, praise publicly, and ensure your team provides feedback to you continuously.”
~Suzy Domenick Burnham, Vice President of Human Resources, Prudential
Quick Tips
Link recognition to company leadership principles or business objectives.
Provide that which is most valuable to the individual, whether it is more challenging assignments, visibility, or a flexible schedule.
Extend your motive beyond increasing productivity and into genuine goodwill and appreciation.
Is Your Company Prepared?
- Is giving praise a common activity in your culture?
- Do leaders make the effort to recognize and reward?
- Is there a formal rewards program and is everyone aware of it?
- Is there an easy way to document, collect, and share recognition?
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