Improve Your Business with Five Minutes on Fridays

What voicemails do you keep saved on your phone? Messages from mom, grandma or a friend? Well, I have a voicemail from the General Counsel of the first company I worked for after graduation. Why? (Dun, dun, dun…)

He called to thank me for an initiative I worked on. He didn’t have to, but he and his fellow executives made it a weekly habit to call employees – not just senior leaders – to recognize their contributions. I am so grateful that I missed his call and now have the recording. It’s an act that took him maybe five minutes to prep and execute, but it reminds me of the leader he was, the contribution I made and the importance of recognition all of these years later.

Often companies invest in formal recognition programs and they have their place; however, nothing replaces thoughtfully delivered genuine recognition.

What would happen if we relied less on budgeted kudos points and catalogs, galas with glass trophies and tropical vacation giveaways and tried something else?

For leaders and organizations looking to evolve their culture without breaking the bank – because lasting culture cannot be bought – make regular recognition part of how you do business.

What Does This Look Like

• Make a habit to thank one person each week; this is a great Friday activity.

• Share news of great work up and across the organization, sponsoring employees in rooms they aren’t in (yet).

• Go beyond “thank you” by incorporating not only what someone did but also the impact it had and how the skills used or gained can be applied elsewhere.

• Set expectations among leaders to recognize people regularly so peer accountability (and friendly competition) take hold. Then, the team’s smile files will begin to grow!

• Keep it authentic, not performative. If you can’t find someone to recognize, you aren’t looking hard enough.

To the Point

When people feel appreciated, stronger engagement, performance and culture will follow.

Image courtesy of Wix.