Power of Recognition

Tapping into the Power of Recognition

There’s certainly no shortage of research and expert opinion on the positive impacts of recognition in the workplace. Studies continually show that recognition fosters job satisfaction, builds self-esteem, and reinforces desired performance. It supports quality, strengthens trust and loyalty, and helps shape a “magnetic” culture that attracts and keeps the very best people. Yet, despite these (and a lot more) widely accepted and well-documented benefits, too many recognition opportunities are being missed in too many organizations, every day.

Here’s a short, two-question survey that you’ll probably be able to answer without much thought:

Ever feel unappreciated or under-recognized for the good work you do?

Ever miss opportunities to recognize people reporting to you for the good work that they do?

If you’re like most folks, there’s a good chance your two answers were DUH! and OOPS! (a.k.a., yes and yes). Of course, all of us occasionally feel taken for granted. We know firsthand how lousy that feels. And when we fail to give recognition to our employees, we pass along that same lousy feeling. We do it not because we’re bad people, but because we’re human … and we sometimes lose sight of what’s truly important. But as a leader, you have an opportunity to change that. In fact, you have an obligation to change that. You owe it to your team members … you owe it to your organization … and considering the benefits to be gained, you owe it to yourself.

Recognition is about acknowledging good results and reinforcing positive performance; it’s about shaping an environment in which contributions are noticed and appreciated. And that’s a responsibility shared by leaders at ALL levels.

Fact is, we’re all creatures of habit. Repeat an action enough times and it becomes habitual … it becomes an unconscious, ongoing behavior. So, here’s a worthwhile habit to work on developing: Each day, “catch” at least one person on your team doing something good – and praise him or her for it. Over time, you’ll acquire a natural tendency to focus on the “good stuff!” And you’ll likely find that even more of that “good stuff” will come your way. When that happens, EVERYONE WINS!_____________________________________________