Praise Employees for a Job Well Done

Praise for a job well done! Was the response most frequently given to me during my six-month Employee Loyalty Survey in 1995. At seminars across the country, I asked attendees to tell me the one thing that would improve their company loyalty. Present, were of all levels from entry to executive, and recognition is what American workers want most!

I believe most executives, owners and managers secretly yearn for employees who have an emotional ownership in their company. Employees that operate as if they owned the company and always looked out for the company's best interests. Unfortunately, few are willing to do what it takes to cultivate this emotional ownership. Often, I hear managers saying that loyalty is too costly. But, how much does it cost to say, "Good job" or "Thank you?" Not a cent! The cost is the manager giving of him or herself--and to some, that price is too high. I have found that a little bit of recognition goes a long way.

Find creative ways to recognize your team. Don't let your creativity limit you, ask your employees what they might like. Ask colleagues what they have done. Listed below are 50 "easier" low cost recognitions offered by my seminar attendees.

Low Cost Employee Recognition

1. A visit from the president.

2. E-mail from the president.

3. Notice to all employees of a special performance.

4. Letter of recognition in employee's permanent file.

5. "Highlighting Employee" section in company newsletter.

6. "Well Done" pens.

7. Company coffee cup.

8. "Attaboy or Attagirl" stickers.

9. Paid time off.

10. Recognition at meeting.

11. Flowers.

12. T-shirt.

13. Lunch with the president or other executive.

14. New title.

15. Balloons.

16. Gift certificates to local restaurant, theater or video/DVD rental store.

17. Flex time.

18. Special parking space.

19. Private verbal praise.

20. Team pot luck celebration.

21. Choice of work assignments.

22. Certificate of Appreciation.

23. Cookies.

23. Team congratulatory song.

24. Selecting the workplace radio station for a week.

25. Come in late or get off early card.

26. Get the workplace recycled soda cans for a month.

27. Hand shake and "Thank you."

28. Company specialty advertising items.

29. Boss for a day.

30. Care package to spouse or children of employee.

31. Wash employee's car.

32. Food: all-day suckers, pizza, donuts or maybe something healthy.

33. "Get Out of Meeting" card.

34. Free vending machine privileges for the week.

35. Lotto tickets.

36. Gold star on desk.

37. Facial, pedicure or massage.

38. Cater breakfast at employee's desk.

39. Party at owner's or executive's home.

40. "We'll do it Your Way Today" card.

41. Software, special keyboard, new chair, etc.

42. Notice about employee accomplishments in local newspaper.

43. Assign additional responsibility.

44. Guaranteed quiet/thinking time.

45. Include employee in decision making.

46. Decorate office for holidays.

47. Lunch or dinner at long meetings and training classes.

48. Listen to the employee.

49. Encouragement.

50. Allowed to attend a seminar of their choice.

In The Art of Partnering I wrote about Management By Partnering Around (MBPA). I believe MBPA is the best possible solution to greater productivity. This applies to anybody who considers them a manager or better yet, a leader. Use Ken Blanchard's model from the One Minute Manager, find employees doing things right and give them a "one minute praising" on the spot. What a great way to build relationships.

Management by Partnering Around
When I suggest partnering around, I'm simply suggesting that you create mini-alliances throughout your organization with employees, teams, executives, and others. As in networking, your goal in MBPA is to get to know as many employees as possible. Next, learn their strengths, weaknesses, and their interests. This knowledge will allow you to successfully put people together using the "Adaptive Organization" model. It will serve you well by unleashing employee creativity and more effectively utilizing their unique abilities.

If you will commit to MBPA, you can add my favorite recognition program to all your other incentive or motivational workplace programs. Rigsbee's Recommended Recognition Program is that of offering negotiable corporate tender. The benefits to this recognition system are: Immediate and customized recognitions. We all want to know how we are doing. Who would not like their "reward" customized to their individual preferences?

Employee Recognition Certificates

Too expensive you say--not at all! This is the best deal in town if you do it correctly. Print recognition bucks assign a value and hand them out when you catch your employees doing a great job. It's praise for a job well done. Who should hand out the certificates? It should be supervisors, managers and executives/owners.

Assigning the value is a bit tricky. You want them coveted by the employees but not so valuable that your managers are hesitant to hand them out. An Air Force major I met in Alaska assigned the value as a paid day off but for most companies it is too valuable. Managers are much less likely to hand out days off than a coffee mug.

First look at what you already have that would create value in the lives of your employees, vender freebies, specialty advertising items and so forth. Then see what toys can barter for within your community and then post a list of "recognitions" and assign how many certificates needed for redemption. One certificate might be worth a paid hour off or a T-shirt. Two certificates might get your employee movie tickets for two or lunch at a local haunt. Five certificates might get a company jacket of paid vacation day. Play with it, put up new postings each month of the newly acquired goodies. Be creative, always add something new to keep the program fresh and your employees guessing.

This program only works of the supervisors, managers and executives/owners will give of themselves to find employees doing things right and reward them for a job well done. Take a risk and try it. All you have to lose is the productivity your not now currently getting. Whatever method you select for recognizing your employees, the important thing is to start now.

How Trade Associations Can Serve Members

Reduce focus on ancillary activities.

Feel good activities generally serve only a few members yet much of an association’s valuable resources tend to be squandered in this area. Generally association members, frequently senior within the organization, with too much time on their hands will drive activities that matter to them while only serving a small constituency of members.

Let go of trying to control the small issues, which is common in associations. Association leadership is a turnstile and as such each set of leaders wants to make their mark and “resolve” small issues that do not need to be resolved. They do this because these small issues are really low hanging fruit, easily accessible. Rather, leadership needs to focus on the issues that really matter to the majority of members and these issues take real work, the kind of work that few leaders are willing to tackle.

Work on what matters to members.

Here is the challenge. I cannot tell you how many associations I have worked with that the leadership’s approach was something like: “It doesn’t matter what the members want, they need…”

There are two basic kinds of association leaders, first there is the person that truly desires to serve their industry and there is the second that desires to serve themselves. Over time there have been fewer of these that truly desire to serve and more that want to control or gain personal value. This is where the association paid staff must exert strength to minimize the damage that the glory and power seeking leader can cause.

What do most association members want?

In a nutshell most of the folks that join an association do so with the hope of minimizing the learning curve in growing their business. Secondarily, is to join in with masses in their industry to affect legislation that might have a positive or negative effect on their business.

While many association members site networking as a primary reason, networking is merely a conduit for the above value they seek. Networking in itself is an activity, not a benefit. However, proper intelligent networking will generally deliver the business growth and legislative benefits that members seek.

Recommendations:

1. Yearly, offer an open ended survey to membership. Too many surveys that I’ve seen associations send to their members only ask the kind of questions that support the erroneous assumptions of its leaders.
2. Leave the low hanging fruit for the paid staff. Volunteer leadership should be involved in helping to set the strategy rather than be obsessed with the daily operational activities of their association.
3. Focus on the big (and difficult) issues that will truly deliver value to members in their most important areas of business growth and legislation oversight. Leave the petty and small stuff to the paid staff.
4. Do not fear the diversity of membership but rather embrace it. When I mention diversity, I am talking about more than just racial, ethnic, nationality, and gender—I am talking about diversity of thought. In my experience, too many association leaders needlessly feel threatened by diversity of thought and unfortunately squander resources attempting to control that which should not be controlled; diversity of ideas.

Most folks join their industry’s trade association to grow their business through new and innovative methods, learned through a collaborative community—the trade association. It is not a religion or benevolent society. Both paid and volunteer leaders would bode well to keep this at the fore of their thinking and decision making during their leadership tenure.

Leopardology

Standing at a high boy, at yet another cocktail reception…at yet another meeting, and knowing not a soul—approaching me was a pleasant man that was specifically seeking me out. He said, “You’re Ed Rigsbee, and I’ve wanted to meet you.” In a South African accent, he introduced himself as Kivi Bernhard, the next day’s luncheon speaker.

Well, what a treat! I attended the next day’s luncheon and stayed for Kivi’s presentation. For business leaders, Kivi’s is a fresh voice on business success; drawing parallels to the hunting skills, techniques and success of the leopard, which he claims is the most successful predator on the planet. He did an excellent job of luring in the audience, mesmerizing the group with his stories and video footage.

Following his presentation, Kivi had for sale a few advance copies of his new book, Leopardology—The Hunt for Profit in a Tough Global Economy! Enjoying my new friend’s presentation, I stood in line and bought a copy. Reiterating an important point from his speech, his inscription to me on the inside cover read, “May you always be blessed to ‘Hunt your hunt!’”

I recommend very few books, and I’m recommending this one to you—I really enjoyed the book! Through a new window, Kivi’s book if filled with proven business success truths—many that he learned as a new immigrant, building a successful wholesale diamond business in the U.S. The business parallels he draws compared to the African leopard are compelling, inspirational, and motivational.

I really do not want to give away his ideas and lessen your reading experience; however I do believe this book to be exceptional, especially in our current difficult business environment. It motivated me, and it will motivate you. Go buy the book, today!

Here is the direct Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=leopardology&x=0&y=0

You may contact Kivi through his web: www.kivibernhard.com

Small Business Partners

Small business success is as much a function of persistence, positioning, and implementation as it is relationship building. With whom are you investing? What you put out, positive or negative, really does come back to you.

Partnering with employees is crucial to the kind of service employees deliver to your customers and how they use your resources. Your employees can sabotage your success without you evening knowing what they are doing.

Partnering with customers is important, if you want them to return. You want your customers to perceive you as their ___, you fill in the blank. You want to be top of mind in the consciousness of your customers. Everything you do, say, and do not do will have an effect on how your customers hold your business in their minds.

Partnering with your competitors is equally important. Competitors are, any business that competes with you for access to your customers wallets. Are restaurants and auto dealers competitors? Absolutely they are. A new car will mean less dinners out.However, you can still partner with the competition through cross-promotion. The more you and your competitors get people out of their homes and into your places of business, the more people will let go of that money and circulate it. This will help the economy. Work with local business to develop cross-promotion campaigns. It will serve you well.

You Want the Results More than the Alliance

Partnering for Profits; You Want What It Does

Let’s face it, few individuals wake up in the morning and think, “Wow, I want an alliance.” Rather, you want what the alliance will do for you. An alliance is nothing more than a conduit for delivering value. As you explore the possibilities in developing alliance relationships, keep your focus on benefit rather than process. The big companies are so focused on alliance process that they can easily forget about delivering value.

Personal Responsibility; Two Windows

I have written quite a lot lately about personal responsibility www.rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm. As a business leader you have double duty. First, you have to be responsible to effectively run your business—to see to it that your employees have a livelihood. And second, you have to be responsible to motivate your employees to be responsible themselves. As you develop a deeper partnering relationship with your employees, help them to see, and mirror, your personal responsibility through both windows. Help them to be responsible, and to hold you responsible.

Platform Charisma; Will the Real You Please Stand?

When you try to be someone else on the platform, you usually suck—unless of course you are a professional impersonator. Here’s the thing; you bring a unique set of skills, tools, and values to the platform—why not release them to deliver the highest value possible to your audience. Careful now, release the best you, and not the worst you. The worst you is the lazy you. The best you is the prepared, excited, and enthusiast you. Always reveal the best you.

Live Meetings Will Never Die

Live, In-Person Meetings Matter

Face-to-face networking will always deliver more total value to humans than other electronic options. Daily, relationships are being developed online and then further solidified in person.

In this difficult economic time, partnering is the path to succeed. Intelligent partnering assures that all participants get and give—each has to believe they received value from participation.

Infusing this partnering idea into today’s meetings development will serve both corporations and associations alike. Reported in the July 27, 2009 issue of MeetingNews (www.MeetingNews.com) is their recent survey revealing that 43% of the corporations that reported had canceled a contracted meeting in the past six months. But, only 20% of the associations reported doing the same.

In the August 2009 issues (Meetings, West, South, etc.) produced by www.meetingsfocus.com is an article titled, Building Blocks—Associations Are Grappling with Attendance Issues that you might want to read. Mentioned; $50K keynote speakers being replaced with $20K speakers, content trumps location as well as big-name speakers, and feel-good speeches are gone.

The bottom line is that Americans are still meeting in-person (despite the political fall out in March) because that’s the best way to develop effective business relationships, network, and discover new opportunities. Yes, there are more association meetings than corporate, and that’s okay.

You need PROFESSIONAL speakers at your meeting that are flexible/easy to work with, deliver immediately usable content to meeting attendees, and do it in a fun environment that motivate your people to use the information, somehow moving from point “A” to “B” and will not bust your budget.

If you agree, call me today to talk about how I, Ed Rigsbee, can help you to deliver all the above to your meeting attendees—no matter the meeting purpose. My pledge to you is this, if you want me as your meeting partner, we’ll find a way to make the finances work—I guarantee it!

Why Should a Leader Care About Employees?

Partnering for Profits: Personally Responsible

Read at risk of anger: I wrote about organizations using the Scanlon Plan for employee equity sharing in my first book titled, “The Art of Partnering;” pick up a used copy at Amazon. With the Scanlon Plan, both employees and leadership are equally responsible for the organization’s success.

In these difficult economic times, leaders are still responsible to their employees to ensure jobs and livelihood. Over the last decade, many leaders have unfortunately proven to be scum; taking huge bonuses or severance payments and leaving employees to fend for themselves. Does the word “Unions” have a meaning here?

You may disagree with me on this, and you have the right to be wrong; if you are a leader, you are responsible!!! If you are a leader in your organization and you are working 60 hours a week leading the charge, God bless you—you are a true leader. If you are in a leadership position and are taking vacation time, time off, and generally MIA, you are NOT a leader but rather a parasite on the organization. Sorry if the truth hurts, but it’s the truth.

Hourly employees cannot be expected to be organizational rain makers. For if they were, they would not stick around as hourly employees. Leaders are expected to be rain makers, and to provide for their employees. And that’s why leaders get the big bucks.

When you are ready for the “Ed Rigsbee Experience” in your organization, give me a call at 800-839-1520.

Executive Presentation Skills: Confidence

I hope you enjoy what my good friend, Randy Pennington, CSP, CPAE, has to say about confidence:

1. Confidence in my material and expertise. I know that what I have to say is important and relevant to the audience's needs. I have done my research and know what I need to do. The work has been put in to ensure I can be confident in what I'm going to say before I ever walk on platform.

2. Experience and confidence in my skills. There are very few situations that I haven't seen over the years. The comfort in knowing that I have previously succeeded in difficult situations gives me confidence that I can handle anything that comes up.

3. Obligation and duty. The audience and the person who hired me expect a level of confidence from me. It is part of the package for the fee I am paid. To show less than a level of confidence that increases the opportunities for success is taking money I didn't earn.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.