WALK THE TALK #4
Today's Topic: Top 10 Excuses for NOT Giving Recognition - “I don’t know how."
No doubt this can be an honest and valid concern. Most folks never receive any type of training on giving recognition. But, it is a skill that can be learned. - “I don’t have time."
For sure, most of us have more stuff to do than time to do it in. But somehow we all manage to do the things that are really important to us. Maybe, you just haven’t made recognition high enough of a priority. Besides, how much time does it take to say, “Thank you”? - “People don’t care about it all that much.”
Yeah, right! Okay, if you look hard enough, maybe you can find one or two people who couldn’t give a flip about being recognized. But for every person like that, there are hundreds who like being stroked for their efforts and contributions. Play the odds. - “It’s not MY job!”
Think that giving recognition is strictly a top-down thing that only bosses are responsible for? THINK AGAIN! It’s one of the biggest reasons why recognition doesn’t happen as often as it could. Fact is, supporting an environment in which people are acknowledged and truly appreciated is everyone’s job. - “I don’t believe in rewarding people for just doing their jobs!”
Me neither! A “reward” is something special and should be reserved for special achievement. But recognition is an acknowledgement, a favorable notice, and a reinforcement that increases the likelihood that people will keep doing their jobs…and making work that much easier for you! - “It becomes meaningless if done too much!”
Maybe so, but most organizations have a looooooong way to go before the meter reads “Too Much Recognition Happening Here.” Actually, it’s insincerity rather than quantity that tends to devalue recognition. - “I’m very limited in what I can do.”
Chances are that you’re limited mostly by untapped imagination. Okay, so you don’t control or even have access to money and formal award programs. Those only represent the tip of the recognition iceberg, anyway. Get creative! - “Sometimes it’s awkward and uncomfortable.”
So was the first time you drove a stick shift! But the more you did it, the easier it got (hopefully). And the more you liked doing it! If you’re uncomfortable with recognition, there’s a good chance you’re not doing it enough. Go forth and PRACTICE! - “People will think they’ve ‘made it’ and stop working hard.”
NOT! Think about it: Do you slow down when others show appreciation for your contributions? Enough said on this one. - “I don’t get it. Why should I give it?”
Because it’s the right thing to do! You know how it feels to have your efforts and achievements overlooked. You know how it feels to be taken for granted. It stinks! Don’t let one wrong become your rationale for doing another.
Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality.-- Abraham LincolnConquering any difficulty always gives one a secret joy, for it means pushing back a boundary-line and adding to one's liberty.
-- Henri Frederic AmielIt is one of the most beautiful compensations in life…we can never help another without helping ourselves.-- Ralph Waldo Emerson Our comfort zones can be our greatest
enemy to our potential.-- David CottrellI may not be better than other people,
but at least I'm different.-- Jean-Jacques RousseauToday's Topic: Responsibility
Ever wonder who THEY are? THEY seem to be everywhere. THEY must be a big and powerful group with a great deal of influence, because we sure do talk about them a lot: “They should know better!”
“That’s their problem!"
“They need to do something about this!”
“It’s all because of them!”
“They’re the ones who fouled things up!”
No need to ask if those sound familiar. Who among us hasn’t pointed a finger at THEM before? “They” and “them” are common pronouns – part of normal, everyday speech. We utter them all the time. And when it comes to building good character and walking the talk, they may be the absolute worst words in our language. Why? Just look at what “they” and “them” mean: OTHER PEOPLE, SOMEONE ELSE. You don’t have to be a genius to know that those words are dripping with non-responsibility.
Maybe it’s time we all did some word switching. Imagine what would happen – think of how our perspectives might change – if we stopped using “they,” “them,” and “their” altogether, and instead used “we,” “us,” and “our.”
Let’s see:“THEY WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!”
“THAT’S THEIR OUR PROBLEM!”
“IT’S UP TO THEM US!”
“THEY WE NEED TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT!”
See and feel the difference?
So, the next time you catch yourself starting to say or think the T-word (“they”), use “we” instead. After all, the first step in meeting our responsibilities as adults is acknowledging that we have them. You know, pointing the finger at them probably is a waste of time, anyway. We’re beginning to think they don’t exist. Because…Every time we’ve gone looking for “them,” all we’ve found is US! The highest compliments leaders can receive are those that are given by the people who work for them. -- James L. BarksdaleThe ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. -- Martin Luther King, Jr.You give 100 percent in the first half of the game, and if that isn't enough, in the second half you give what's left. -- Yogi Berra212° Commitment
Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to hear Jim Cathcart speak to a corporate audience. Jim is a good friend, and a great speaker. He told the story of how listening to a radio program over 25 years ago changed his life forever, and with his permission I’d like to share it with you.
In 1972, Jim was working at the Little Rock, Arkansas, Housing Authority making $525 a month, with a new wife and baby at home, no college degree, no past successes, and not much hope for the foreseeable future.
One morning, he was sitting in his office listening to the radio, to a program called “Our Changing World” by Earl Nightingale, who was known as “the Dean of Personal Development.” That day, Nightingale, in his booming voice, said something that would change Jim’s life forever: “If you will spend an extra hour each day of study in your chosen field, you will be a national expert in that field in five years or less.”
Jim was stunned, but the more he thought about it the more it made sense. Although he had never given a speech, he had always wanted to help people grow in areas of personal development motivation. He began his quest to put Nightingale’s theory to the test by reading books and listening to tapes whenever he could. He also started exercising and joined a self-improvement study group. He persisted through weeks of temptations to quit, just by doing a little more each day to further his goal. Within six months, he had learned more than he had in his few years of college, and he began to believe he could turn his goal of becoming a motivational speaker into reality. All the hard work, the discipline, and study paid off. Jim now has delivered more than 2,500 speeches worldwide and has won every major award in the speaking industry.
Just like companies have market value, so do people. In the simplest terms, your market value increases by knowing and doing more. You see, Jim really understood one of my favorite laws in life…you cannot get what you’ve never had unless you’re willing to do what you’ve never done.
He understood the power of 212° commitment.In order to be mahvelous, you must
look mahvelous!-- Fernando (Billy Crystal), Saturday Night LiveToday's Topic: Managing Performance in the Virtual Workplace
The virtual work environment provides unique performance management challenges. Addressing these proactively will have a positive impact on productivity, morale, and results. At the same time, the virtual workplace offers some distinct advantages to the performance management and evaluation process.
Gone are the days of “face time” and the perceived sense that you know they’re working because you can see them sitting at their desk or workstation. In reality, the way you know that someone is working – and doing the right things the right way – is to have clear outcomes. In other words, you don’t really know that work is getting done unless you know what’s expected, how it’s to be done, and how it will be measured. This is where the virtual workplace has a positive impact on your need to manage performance effectively by requiring that clear expectations, behaviors, and measures be defined.
When team members work remotely, you can’t totally control how they do their jobs, but you still need to manage their overall performance and results. It can be difficult – for leaders and employees – to discuss performance issues from a distance. Having a clear process with specific steps provides a guide and keeps everyone on track.