EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE

IF YOU DON’T CARE WHO GETS THE CREDIT.

By Craig Mitchell

President, Robroy Enclosures®

         How many major investments have you made that bring big returns to your business but cost absolutely nothing? Zero expense. Not one penny.

         There is one such investment that is available to you at anytime, anywhere --- and that is the investment of giving well-deserved praise --- of giving credit where credit is due.

         Because praise for good performance is a proven way of improving productivity and morale, you’d assume that this is a well-used management tool.

         You would be wrong in that assumption.

        A recent Harvard Business Review survey revealed a startling statistic. Nearly four-in-ten managers out of 7,500 interviewed, admit that they give little or no positive reinforcement. Not surprisingly, three-in-ten employees identify praise and positive feedback as being most important in what would motivate them to “do more” and “do more better.”

         At Robroy Enclosures®, one of our corporate value statements is: “Appreciation.”

         We believe that gratitude costs nothing and can be worth everything. We are committed to always being humble and showing an equal respect for all individuals and entities contributing to our lives. We value relationships. We never lose sight of the fact that we cannot succeed without the support of others. That includes our fellow employees, vendors, customers, partners, and communities. We have pledged ourselves to taking the time to recognize and give back to our constituents for their contributions.

         If it is free and valuable, why don’t more organizations promote a culture of positive commendation?

         There are two answers.

         First: good managers must be willing to set aside their own egos. Sometimes, building a healthy synergistic team means letting others take the credit for success.

         Second: like everything that becomes a part of work-life culture, being appreciative on a day-in-day-out basis needs to become a habit rather than an occasional happening.

         How does that all begin?

         It begins with you.

         You should ask and answer these questions:

         • Do I consistently show my appreciation to others or am I more inclined to want credit for myself?

         • Am I really offering praise on a regular and sincere basis? Interestingly, the Harvard Business Review survey revealed that up to 80 percent of senior management believe that they are offering praise to their employees at least once a month, while only about 22 percent of employees agree with that assessment.

         • Do you distribute praise evenly or do you tend to praise the same person or persons more often than others, even though performance results are similar?

         • Do you worry that praise will result in others “resting on their laurels” or demanding more compensation for a job well done? If those thoughts pop into your head you are probably over-analyzing the process or excusing yourself from giving well-earned praise.

         Another survey, this one conducted by Deloitte, found that “leadership support and recognition are among the top three most effective non-financial factors for retention.” More people than not are naturally inclined to want to do a good job. Companies in which positive statements of encouragement out-number negative comments by five-to-one or better, benefit not only from improved on-the-job performance but also reduced absenteeism and lower turnover of personnel.

         Success breeds more success, but only if we are willing to recognize and reward those who make it happen. Achieving a mindset based on a process of offering praise requires a conscious effort. You must accept the fact that giving praise --- which should be a more casual, spontaneous form of communications --- is different from the need to also have formal feedback through employee evaluations. The two, however, go hand-in-hand toward creating an environment in which people feel that effort can and will pay-off both in terms of compensation and in achieving a healthy work-life balance.

         Everything is possible if you don’t care who gets the credit. Now is the time to increase your investment in providing praise to those upon whom your business depends. It will be one of few investments that will cost you absolutely nothing and bring you a hugely positive return.