Employees value recognition. Most employees when surveyed say they don’t get enough recognition. In this article I’ll give you insights about the recognition problem and some straightforward ways you can build more recognition into the culture of your organization.
Lack of recognition is invisibility. People who feel invisible, not recognized, say these kinds of things:
- I do good work, nobody notices.
- I prevent problems, but only the heroics get attention.
- All the TY comments are ’empty’ leadership words.
- I’m invisible to the big boss, just a worker drone.
- I only hear criticisms from my boss and the people we deliver to.
- I assume our job is important, but it would be nice to know for sure.
- SusieQ gets attention for some reason, but not the rest of us.
- My boss gets recognized, but she doesn’t share that with the worker bees who made it happen.
It’s possible to appreciate the wrong things. That’s a real concern. But you’re not likely to do too much recognition. The English word ‘recognize’ come from Latin, re “again” + congnoscere “to get to know.” Recognition is about knowing and making known. One of the features of high-performing teams is abundant feedback and recognition.
To avoid creating cynicism (deadly to a high-performing culture), your recognition must be sincere. We get the English word sincere from Latin, too. It means “without wax.” There’s a fun story behind this word. As the Roman middle class developed there was a growing demand for marble sculptures. Unscrupulous teams of sculptures would show up in an area and rapidly create sculptures at a price, then leave town. Their shoddy work was revealed after a few weeks of hot Tuscan sun, because the wax mixed with marble dust melted out of the cracks and defects in the sculptures. Reputable marble sculpture shops would put a sign out saying ‘San cera,’ meaning ‘without wax.’
Your recognition must be without wax, able to stand up in the heat of experience.
The leadership art of recognition has three key objectives:
- Make work and people visible
- Celebrate positive behaviors which contribute to results & relationships
- Articulate the value of the behavior/results
Too many leaders think recognition needs to be big to be effective. An ocean is many drops of water. Many small moments of recognition become a wave of energizing power in an organization. Be patient, be consistent, and the effects will compound over time!
Let’s review five practices – all practical! – which will help your organization grow and thrive, even in difficult times.
Practice #1: Positive feedback
Give positive feedback on effective work, or progress. It can be quick and simple.
Easy model: “When you do <observable behavior> it helps our organization <in this way> . Thank you and keep it up!” (HT to the wonderful folks at manager-tools.com for this model)
Practice #2: Words of appreciation lubricate relationships
Saying please, thank you, and you’re welcome honors the value of people. It’s not just polite. Yes, doing things is “their job” but you should still be sincerely appreciative. If you cynical about this, then at least understand expressing appreciation is a tool to get more volunteer spirit.
I’m known for asking, “Have I said thank you lately?” It’s a powerful way to express appreciation, and people will feel recognized.
Next level: Written thank you notes stand out in a digital world. I know several successful leaders who keep a stash of notecards for this purpose.
Practice #3: Call attention to behaviors which build up the team
No one is an island; we’re working as a team. Leaders should look for opportunities to call attention to behaviors which build up the team. You’ll get more of these behaviors when you recognize them:
- Problem prevention (not just heroic fire-fighting)
- Positive energy
- Smiles and healthy humor
- Willingness to take on extra work
- Sharing credit
- Cross-training, teaching others
- Process and practice improvement
- One person encouraging another
- Setting high standards for excellent work
All these act as deposits in the “trust accounts,” which fuels a high-performing culture. You will get more of what gets publicly and privately recognized.
Practice #4: Email notifications to the boss
Send a specific and descriptive email to your boss about the accomplishments of a team member. Don’t just forward a long conversation thread with a comment like “Bob is doing great work” and expect them to figure out what Bob has done. Write a separate email, with an easy to scan format, saying what was done and the value it brings. People like to get an email that’s not about a problem they have to solve!
Bonus tip: Ask your team member to write an email you can forward; add a few comments of your own about the value delivered.
Doing this consistently will pay off in the future when you’re making the case for promotions and raises.
Practice # 5: Arrange for more time with leaders and customers
Giving your team time with other leaders, and especially customers who benefit from your team’s work, is a good way to recognize them. You’re also giving these people an opportunity to say thank you and generate some goodwill, which they’ll appreciate.
Invite a senior leader to talk with your team for 15-30 minutes. Invite a customer to share at your group meeting. Invite an interesting leader to come for a coffee break informal discussion. These don’t need to be big, formal occasions to be effective. I’ve rarely been turned down when making these invitations, though sometimes you’ll have to reschedule because of other priorities for senior leaders.
There you go, five straightforward practices you can use to build up your organization through recognition. Let us know in the comments if you have other suggestions!
