Give Recognition Without Spending A Dime
Trinkets, parties, awards, pizza, and even money. They come and go as recognition. Your eyeball-to-eyeball words of appreciation are more long-lasting and positively remembered.
Just take 30 seconds to say, “You did a lot of good work to get ready for this meeting. It shows.” Or tell someone “Your catching that mistake saved our bacon.” Sincere recognition like this is worth more than most tangible items . . . IF you make it personal, sincere, and don’t clutter your comment with requests for additional work, jokes, unnecessary flowery words, or a too-quick change-of-subject.
Say it in short and shut up.
(What’s your experience with recognition – giving or receiving – good, bad, or ugly?)
July 14th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
What’s my experience with recognition? In my experience there is not enough positive recognition going around! Especially in a non-American environment, I often find that I do not receive much feedback and when I do it’s often critical or negative. I guess I’ve been spoiled learning from (and receiving from) the Master of Positive Reinforcement, Janis Allen!
I will continue to offer my own positive recognition in the hopes that people will “catch” the bug!
~Shawn, Janis Allen’s stepdaughter