Finding Recognition Everywhere

Effective recognition relies heavily on intrinsic motivation. Each employee has individual needs and expectations that motivate their actions.

Most people are intrinsically motivated by varying degrees of achievement, affiliation, or power/control. Supervisors present workplace goals based on these motivators.

Additionally, they must use extrinsic motivation properly by incorporating meaningful recognition into bonuses, incentives, contests, and prizes. Employees can also receive recognition that works by providing quality products and services to customers.

A workplace that allows people to contribute in a meaningful way will give their job purpose. Managers should find ways to help their employees take pride in their work and boost their team or organization's reputation in the community.

Creating an atmosphere of trustworthiness is a powerful form of intrinsic recognition. For example, Best Buy uses a system called ROWE ("results-only work environment"), in which employees chose how, when, and where their work is performed.

Supervisors only measure if the work is accomplished. This system demonstrates trust in employees and has reduced voluntary turnover and increased productivity 42 percent.

An organization can also show employees they are recognized by providing opportunities for growth. In-house vocational counselors are essential to helping employees find new areas of challenge and advancement.

People often leave a job to pursue growth opportunities in their career. By proactively encouraging and creating career furtherance from within, organizations retain valuable employees and foster company loyalty.

Fair pay, benefits, health insurance, vacation time, and a quality working environment also affect whether an employee feels recognized. People do not necessarily receive recognition from a fair salary and healthy work environment, but their absence will be perceived as a lack of recognition.

This article is based on the book 'Make Their Day!' The book summary is available online at Business Book Summaries.

Assessing Your Own Work Performance

Is it human nature that we don’t stop to assess our performance most of the time? We’d rather plow ahead, hell-bent for leather, to what’s next, whether or not we’re proceeding wisely in pursuit of a given task or goal.

However, when it comes to generating innovative ideas, self-assessment is a valuable tool. If you’re in a meeting, especially one you’re conducting, record the conversation for playback later, perhaps while you’re driving!

As you listen to what transpired. Ask yourself:

• When people suggest a new idea, are you cutting them off at the pass?
• What happens when you suggest a new idea?
• If your idea doesn’t get an immediate warm reception, do you prefer to toe the line rather than rock the boat?

When you have some time, letting an idea marinate can help you gain perspective:

Put your idea in a drawer. That is, put the notes, folders, documents, and what have you in a drawer and don’t open it for a couple of days. Later, revisit the idea and see if it still seems as valid and worthwhile as when you first devised it.

Bounce your ideas off of others. This activity is recommended throughout the book, as other people’s reactions can give you valuable information about how good your idea is and what you may need to do to sell it to others.

Give it a five-time review. Review your idea on five separate occasions. Anytime it seems as if it doesn’t have sufficient merit, go ahead and chuck it. However, if it survives five intermittent reviews, proceed at full speed. You probably have something worth developing.

This article was based on the book, "Leadership in High-Performance Organizational Cultures" by Stanley D. Truskie, PhD. A book summary is available on BusinessSummaries.com.