Monday, September 28, 2009

Recognition Training is Useless…

Yes, you read it right! But let me explain.

It’s a question of putting the “why” before the “how” in terms of the recognition paradigm.

All too often we try and train managers “how” to recognize employees before they fully understand “why” they are recognizing them in the first place!

Simply put, we must educate managers “why” recognition is important before we train them “how” to do it.

In my experience there are three broad categories of recognition education:

1. There are those managers who understand the why and “get it” completely. They make recognition a part of their daily lives.
2. The second category consists of the managers who do recognize others in the workplace but do not consciously realize it.
3. The last group consists of managers who do not recognize others. They believe recognition has no value and create a variety of reasons not to use this strategic tool. More often than not, they don’t understand why recognition is important because they never experienced it themselves.

Obviously, recognition education must be tailored to suit the needs of each group but it is CRITICAL to educate managers “why” recognition is important before you start training them “how” to do it.

I believe recognition often fails because we have trained too many managers to go through the motions without understanding the real reasons why we do it. This understanding leads to Real Recognition… a phrase my friend and colleague Roy Saunderson coined many years ago.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

My Friend Mark!

Some more words of wisdom from my friend Mark Twain!

Do not offer a compliment and ask a favor at the same time. A compliment
that is charged for is not valuable.- Notebook, 1902-1903

Monday, September 21, 2009

Baker's Dozen List - Again!

Check out this year’s HRO Today Baker’s Dozen list. Rideau made the list again for the 6th year in a row!

I am super proud of all my 250+ colleagues who consistently provide innovative, customer and recipient centric recognition solutions year after year after year!

View the Baker's Dozen list here

Friday, September 18, 2009

How Recognition Impacts Good Work

My good friend and fellow Recognition Professionals International Board member, Dee Hansford recently appeared on Brian Moffitt’s "Good Work NOW!" show. Brian’s show is dedicated to finding and creating good work.

Workplace recognition plays an important part in encouraging and recognizing good work.

Watch a short clip of Dee and Brian. Or watch Dee's entire 30 minute interview.

Dee does a great job of explaining why recognition is so important today.

Happy viewing!

New painting of the week

Parc Monceau by Peter Hart

Friday, September 11, 2009

My Friend Mark!

Some more words of wisdom from my friend Mark!

The happy phrasing of a compliment is one of the rarest of human gifts and the happy delivery of it another.
- Mark Twain's Autobiography

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Recognition is Free!

Not too long ago I read an article in The New Yorker by Malcolm Gladwell. It was titled “Priced to Sell – Is free the future?” (July 6 &13, 2009)

Malcolm Gladwell is one of my favorite authors. “Blink,” “The Tipping Point” and more recently “Outliers” were all best sellers and great reads.

His article in The New Yorker explained difficult negotiations the Dallas Morning News had when it tried to license its content for use on Amazon’s new electronic reader, the Kindle. In a nutshell, Amazon wanted 70% of the subscription fees and the right to republish the newspaper’s content to any portable device.

The article went on to cite numerous examples of how the price of content is being driven down and how “free” is becoming the new norm. Gladwell is absolutely right and there is a lesson here for those of us in the recognition industry.

All too often recognition is viewed as an expense… but that’s not true.

Meaningful words of appreciation and recognition cost NOTHING! Words should be used liberally and on a timely basis to praise specific efforts and achievements.

Remember… Recognition is Free!!!

Friday, September 4, 2009

New painting of the week

Edith's Garden by Peter Hart



Thursday, September 3, 2009

Rewards and Recognition Providers: Where Do We Go from Here?

Incentive magazine has just published my article on the importance of recognition in the workplace and its effects on employee health, employee loyalty, retention and productivity. Click here to read!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Recognition from the Hart

Employers Web published my new article on employee wellness. Click here to learn about the power recognition has on employee health!