RMI’s Barbara Ruddy Shares Recognition Program Secrets

My colleague, Barbara Ruddy, Senior Consultant and Trainer for the Recognition Management Institute, will be also be speaking (along with Arne Carlson) at this year's RPI conf at the end of April.

Her workshop, co-presented with Sarah Wuertz, CRP PHR, from the Arizona Department of Transportation, is entitled, “You're Spending our $'s on What?” It will show attendees the best way to get strategic about your recognition program to get full value for every dollar, so your program will stand up to public scrutiny.

Barbara is both the founder of STARS, and the first certified Recognition Professionals International (RPI) instructor authorized to teach all RPI Certified Recognition Professional® courses, in addition to the DEERS (Designing Effective Employee Recognition Strategies) curriculum. At the State of Arizona, Department of Economic Security, Barbara designed and implemented employee recognition systems for over 10,000 employees and her programs have served as models for both public and private sector organizations.

Both presenters are going to be sharing their experiences and are going to help attendees "design and implement a recognition strategy that is financially efficient and with positive perception."

Click here for more information and if you'd like to register.

Simple Truths of Appreciation

How does enthusiasm build morale at work? Why do leaders forget the power of appreciation? These questions will be answered on the next episode of Real Recognition Radio!

My RMI colleagues S. Max Brown and Roy Saunderson will be welcoming Barbara Glanz, leadership expert and author of eleven books, including The Simple Truths of Service As Inspired by Johnny the Bagger® to share her secrets on how to spread “Contagious Enthusiasm” in the office.

Barbara has worked with organizations around the globe, and her client list includes Honda, Disney, and Southwest Airlines, to name a few. Her work focus is on how to improve morale, retention, and service. Most importantly, she works with people who want to rediscover the joy in their work and in their lives while acknowledging that we will all face challenges.

During this uplifting Real Recognition Radio episode, you too will learn how to inspire others to achieve great things and transform the workplace as well as live a better, fuller, more engaged life.

Tune in next Tuesday, April 13th, at 1 PM ET!

Getting Recognition Right!

Both my colleague Roy Saunderson from the Recognition Management Institute and Elvie Gee Human Resources Director at Johnson & Johnson Medical Products (JJMP) will be speaking THIS WEDNESDAY, March 31st, at the Strategic Capability Network conference in Toronto.

Roy will describe how a well planned recognition program can accomplish all your corporate goals, and Ellie will share JJMP's evolution in creating an effective recognition strategy, the education and communication supports they have created, and the impact these initiatives have had on their recognition practices and programs.

But act quickly, you only have until tomorrow to register!

RMI hits the airwaves

Beginning on February 23rd, my colleagues Roy Saunderson, President and Founder of RMI and S. Max Brown, VP of Organizational Learning, will be co-hosting Voice of America’s newest weekly radio show: Real Recognition Radio.

Real Recognition Radio is going to go back to what recognition is really all about. They’re going to help make better people and create more positive relationships. They’ll be looking at what’s new and exciting in the field of employee rewards, recognition and incentives. They’ll also talk to people who have lived successes and failures to help the audience learn what works and what doesn’t.

The show’s first installment will be featuring Brenna Garratt as their first guest. Brenna Garratt is a member of Rideau Recognition Solutions’ board of directors and CEO of The Delve Group, Inc. Brenna has been instrumental in working with Senior Executives to reshape and reposition existing brands, as well as invent, position and promote new ones so they are correctly understood internally and externally in their respective marketplaces.

Having been active in both the recognition field and marketing, Brenna will be discussing the importance of marketing and communication within your recognition program so your program touches your employees and achieves the goals you intended it to.

The show premiers February 23rd, and will air every Tuesday at 1 PM ET. Tune in on the VoiceAmerica Business Channel!

Wow - Max Speaks Mandarin!

We recently announced that Max Brown, CRP joined Rideau’s Recognition Management Institute (RMI) subsidiary as a Vice President of Organizational Learning. He also recently hosted a webcast on our HCI recognition and motivation learning track.

I first saw Max speak at a Recognition Professionals International (RPI) breakout session several years ago. His presentation was powerful and very motivational. But what left a lasting impression on me that day was how he spoke about his family.

He first spoke about his parents… a truly remarkable couple that have given so much to so many. You see they had 5 of their own (Max was the eldest) and adopted 8 others for a total of 13 children! They also fostered 100 kids over 20 years! Talk about amazing!!! Max then went on to speak lovingly about his wife Sally. She was in the audience that day. She was sitting in the front row left hand side. He referred to Sally several times during his presentation and you could see that her presence meant a lot to Max that day.

I remembered thinking to myself this is a man who clearly cares about his family… a value I cherish.

My first direct conversation with Max was at another RPI event in Chicago. Max was taking the last few courses to become a Certified Recognition Professional. This too impressed me. There are a lot of “experts” who speak about recognition but never bother to get CRP certified. I know it’s not a big thing, but it bugs me. Max was literally going to practice what he preached.

Our conversation turned to personal matters. I found out that Max was a mountain climber and had lived in Shanghai, China and traveled extensively around Asia and the world. I found out that Max was an Eagle Scout and that his first major speaking engagement occurred when he was only 16! He presented to 6,000 Boy Scouts! He told me that speaking was in his blood… his grandfather, father, mother and an uncle all had the gift. Today, Max and Sally now have the gift of family with 2 beautiful children. Drew who is 15 months, and AnLi will be three in January.

I will never forget the day I gave Max a Platinum Tour around Rideau!

As we went around the company that day introducing Max, my Chinese colleagues were taken aback when Max started conversing with them in fluent Mandarin. The look on their face’s were priceless… hey you don’t look Chinese!!! What’s up??? I wish I had a camera… and that’s when I learned that Max is also a very accomplished photographer. When he gave me permission to paint some of his photos, that sealed the deal… no question… he was coming to work for our group of companies!!!


But seriously, with the addition of Max, I believe Roy Saunderson is quietly and methodically assembling a group of individuals who will make the Recognition Management Institute the world’s leading consultancy on employee recognition.

Welcome Max!

My Friend Barbara Ruddy!

In 2001, I attended my first Recognition Professionals International conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was a great experience. I learned a lot and made many new friends.

One of them was Barbara Ruddy!

I’m sure I wasn’t the only person at the conference who wished it could have gone on longer. That was because of Barbara. She was the Conference Chair and her hospitality and organization made it a memorable experience for me and many others!

At the time Barbara was working for the State of Arizona’s Department of Economic Security. She had designed and implemented an employee recognition system for more than 10,000 employees!

Barbara is very involved in Recognition Professionals International. She acts as the Chairperson for the prestigious Recognition Champion Award program in honor of her dear friend Pamela Sabin. Over the years Barbara served on RPI’s Executive and Advisory Boards. She was also the first certified instructor authorized to teach all RPI Certified Recognition Professional® courses. This year Barbara won RPI’s Spotlight Award which honors her recognition career and the activities that she has done to improve RPI and its mission.

Over the years our friendship grew and it is with no small measure of pride that I was so pleased to see her join Roy Saunderson and his team at the Recognition Management Institute.

I know that Barbara will continue to teach and help others understand what Real Recognition is really about!

Welcome to our family Barbara!

My Newest Colleague is a Gem. Her name is Christi Gibson!

I think Christi Gibson is one of the unsung heroes of the recognition industry.

Christi was involved with Recognition Professionals International for over eight years and served as its Executive Director.

When she joined Recognition Professionals International it had only 200 members and a very limited budget. Christi’s ability to raise funds and carefully manage our expenses allowed the organization to grow to over 900 members.

I believe Christi’s lasting legacy at RPI was to manage funds in such a way that we were able to go out and create the educational content that has now become our Certified Recognition Professional (CRP) program.

When I realized Christi was going to leave RPI earlier this year I knew right away that we would work together. My colleagues all felt the same way and I’m so pleased that she joined my colleague Roy Saunderson at the Recognition Management Institute as its Executive Director.

Roy’s work is noble. He is creating better workplace environments. Employees in these workplaces will be healthier, more engaged and less susceptible to leaving the organization. All of which will make companies more productive on a sustainable basis.

Now, with Christi at his side, the sky’s the limit for Roy and the Recognition Management Institute.

Christi is a gem and we are lucky to have her at our side!

More Help From Your Friends!

For many years I subscribed to an eZine called “The Real Recognition EZine.” It was written by a fellow called Roy Saunderson who was the founder and president of a company called the Recognition Management Institute.

From time to time, I would drop Roy a line commenting on an article or a thought he provoked on recognition.

Three years ago this month, Rideau decided to reach out to Roy and to this end, I asked my colleague Gord Green to call him. The next morning, I got a call from Roy asking if we could meet. I thought Roy was responding to Gord’s call, but to make a long story short he’d decided to reach out to us! Talk about Serendipity!

Roy did come to Montreal in the middle of a huge snow storm (the downside of living in here) and we hit it off immediately. So much so that we bought Roy’s company.

Today Roy helps companies around the world create better employee recognition strategies. He educates business leaders on why recognition is such an important management tool and trains managers how to use recognition effectively each and every day. Visit the Recognition Management Institute to learn more about Roy and his work.