Sometimes it is tough to define success in an organization. Some may define it as exceptional profits and financial growth. Some may feel that public perception or reputation for quality products is the key to success. Still others, those who are in business for profit as well as for contributing to the greater good of our nation, may have a different definition.
So often the personal achievement of individuals, the everyday employee, is overlooked as a factor of company success. That hard-working, dedicated worker who clocks into an organization day after day, often forgoing school events with his/her children or personal activities with friends and family to assure the company vision is fulfilled. This is the employee who is constantly learning and trying to improve their performance on a regular basis. This is also typically the employee who is secretly longing for recognition of their commitment and achievements. The sad truth is that in far too many cases this is simply overlooked.
If only the major accomplishments of management and executives are celebrated, the excellent people who worked hard to create that great result can feel ignored, unappreciated and irrelevant. The fact is that it is often the efforts of those employees that make the success possible. It could be suggested that the most successful organizations all have one common trait – they inspire and recognize employees’ efforts and achievement.
Sound simple? Au contraire! Managers are far too often left in a quandary as to how to inspire, motivate and recognize employees. The day-to-day hands-on work of the department can get in the way of collecting gems of information about an employee’s work. Come performance review time, managers find themselves staring into a dark abyss trying to retrieve specific accomplishments, moments of excellent attitude, or those above and beyond incidents.
It takes intentionality to track employee achievements, and more effort yet to enact a system of regular recognition. While a monetary bonus is always appreciated, a shining moment of sincere recognition by the team, the manager, or even the executives in an organization goes a long way toward motivating continued dedication.
PANNING FOR GOLD
At Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California there is a Pan For Gold attraction located in the Ghost Town. Visitors dig into the water, scoop up a mixture of sand, pebbles and dirt searching for that one nugget of gold. Managers have a very similar job. It’s impossible to know what each employee is doing every day, so a good manager uses many of these mining techniques on a regular basis:
- Speak with fellow employees with whom the employee has interacted
- Speak to any outside vendors, suppliers, or clients with whom the employee has interfaced
- Discuss the employee’s contribution to a specific project with the project lead
- Seek out opinions as to the employee’s reputation among other department personnel
- Check the employee’s attendance habits, or their safety record
- Analyze personal conversations that took place with the employee
- Check employee’s annual goals and the progress he/she is making toward them
These efforts are just like panning for gold. One small nugget may be revealed that deserves to be shined up, developed, or recognized. If a manager sees a nugget that isn’t shining yet, but would be brilliant given the right feedback and guidance – take the opportunity to recognize the effort and mentor the employee to develop his/her skills for even better results. This kind of recognition can be very motivating to the right employee.
TALES OF THE WILD WEST
Performance reviews can be a great place to recognize an employee’s achievements. Managers who have not been actively panning for gold during the year can often find this annual responsibility pure drudgery. They find themselves writing superficial reviews that tend to either overlook the positive, or over-emphasize the negative. Managers who have been collecting little gems of performance highlights throughout the year are more likely to prepare and deliver a more balanced & useful performance review.
Offering quick and timely kudos to an employee does a lot to build up confidence and motivate continued quality performance. Managers who conduct quarterly performance checks find themselves much better prepared for those annual reviews. This can be an effective way to see if goals need to be adjusted, training needs to be done, or acknowledgement of effort is appropriate.
But recognizing achievement behind closed doors is not the only way to build up a good employee's confidence. Managers who have panned for gold and found a valuable nugget want to do what every old west gold miner wanted to do – shout it out to others!
Find simple, creative and fun ways to tell others about an employee’s achievement.
- Write a short blurb in the company newsletter recognizing the individual
- Plan a surprise lunch for the department and announce the employee’s great effort
- Create a public board to post daily or weekly recognition (AND USE IT!).
- Write a commendation to the company CEO or President describing the efforts of the employee (copy to employee & HR file.)
- Take time in normal conversation with the employee and other managers to commend the employee’s work.
- Send out an email to the employee congratulating them for their work (copy your boss and the department members.)
- Challenge the employee with the leadership role on a new project (if appropriate), letting the team know it is because of their great work on the previous project.
Companies who invest in their people are much more likely to be defined as “successful” by employees. Panning for gold can be a very uplifting and satisfying adventure for any manager. It can find wonderful nuggets of achievement to crow about, and uncover areas where development and training are still needed. So hitch up you thigh high boots and get digging!
