Leadership A-Z: R is for Recognition

As a professional, how much time do you spend recognizing your staff and acknowledging their achievements. The topic of recognition can be a very personalized one, and not everyone is going to value the same things or even find recognition always positive. Consider these scenarios:

* A very introverted member of staff who is extremely shy and likes to stand behind the scenes is acknowledged publicly in a full organization meeting for their achievements and is asked to stand up to take credit. What do you think the impact is for them?
* One of your top performers is given the task to leading yet another special project. This one with high visibility. This comes as they are just winding down a year long other high visibility project, and after they have indicated that they are looking forward to being able to focus more on their core tasks as they have some evolving elder care responsibilities for one of their parents. What do you think the impact is for them?

What do you use to recognize employees? Recognition programs will vary from company, to company, dependent on the industry, size, and whether an organization is unionized or now.

Here are some possible recognition possibilities:
 - Gift cards
- Staff/team lunch, BBQ
- Special sporting event - tickets or participation
- Time off
- Public acknowledgement -  by email, in company newsletter/publication, in a presentation
- Hand written card of thanks
- Note on file for achievement
- Certificate
- Take them out to lunch
- Give them a gift so they and their family can go out

and of course a simple thank you is also important!

What recognition is needed within your team. Where do you want to positively reinforce outstanding behavior?

Have a great week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPT
Potentials Realized

Author of Effective Group Coaching and From One to Many: Best Practices of Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
Phone: (416)996-TEAM
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As an author Jennifer Britton is known for her thought leadership in the area of group and team coaching. She is also a former leader and team builder who spent the first 13 years of her career working within the United Nations as well as the international aid sector. From Boardroom to jungle, beach and forest to mountains, Jennifer has worked to develop teams and leaders in more than 18 countries, and virtually many more. She founded Potentials Realized in 2004 and focuses on leadership, teamwork and coaching skills training.