What if I told you there’s a fail-proof way to get your team working harder, getting along better and becoming more innovative? When done well, it doesn’t cost a thing and takes only a couple of minutes…

The answer is recognition.

The truth is we can build strength in those around us (co-workers, employees and even clients) simply through using recognition.

Let’s first get on the same page… When I say recognition - I mean deliberating calling attention to and celebrating an individual’s behavior as it relates to a positive outcome.

Why Recognition:

Increases psychological safety: In Google’s massive 2-year study on team performance found that psychological safety was by far the most important component of the highest performing teams. I encourage you to read Adam Grant’s article in the NY Times about their work. (1)
Improves engagement: IBM’s WorkTrends survey of over 19,000 workers in 26 countries, across industries and thousands of organizations, revealed that the engagement level of employees who receive recognition is almost three times higher than the engagement level of those who do not. (2)
Empowers individuals: Empowered people contribute more, “Empowered employees are more likely to be powerful, confident individuals, who are committed to meaningful goals and demonstrate initiative and creativity to achieve them.” (hbr) or Research has regularly demonstrated that when employees feel empowered at work, it is associated with stronger job performance, job satisfaction, and commitment to the organization. (HBR)

What to Recognize: Champion strengths, especially those capacities you want to see more of

Call them out when you see them- make it immediate
Be specific - targeted recognition means more
Recognize the individual how they like to be recognized (public/private/in person)
Be authentic and use down to earth language
Recognize behaviors that mean something to the employee (Mr. C’s Chicken Natural first job)

How to Recognize: Feedback Ladder

A (ask if they have a minute)
B (call out a specific behavior you witnessed)
C (connect that behavior to shared priorities/values/goals)
Give an example of it in practice

Final Tips

3 to 1
Be authentic
No compliment sandwich
Use in relationships, too (help your marriage)

Challenge for the week

“According to Gallup's analysis, only one in three workers in the U.S. strongly agree that they received recognition or praise for doing good work in the past seven days.” (5)

Try to give at least one strengths-based piece of feedback this week to each of your team members using the performance ladder
Email me to let me know how it went