Celebration!

This past weekend we celebrated my mother’s 90th birthday. My sister and brother and I had to decide how to acknowledge her life (90 years is a very long time!) in this very difficult time of a pandemic. The questions we asked were “What would be meaningful for her?” “Who should be involved?” “What can we afford?” “What would be safe?” The day after her birthday my mother couldn’t stop raving about how she felt so acknowledged. My siblings and I knew we hit the mark.

All of this made me think about how you recognize not only your employees but those around you that may not work for you. Are you recognizing people intentionally? What I mean by this is do you know specifically why you are recognizing the person or people, or are you spreading recognition like peanut butter. For example, we feel good about thanking a team for their contributions, but can you specify what the team did or what each team member did to make whatever it is a success? The more specific you can be, the more connected you get to the people and the work they do. Even if you are not the direct manager, ensure you have the right information from a person in the organization that does know. I can tell you that it matters in a positive way when people feel as though you know the work it took to get such a great result. One of my coachees said to me in our discussion around recognition and her manager, “How am I doing a great job if he doesn’t tell me the specifics?” Be intentional!

Recognize achievements with something meaningful; meaningful to the person you are recognizing. For instance, if the person doesn’t drink coffee, a Starbucks gift card may not be the best choice. Also, some people do not like public recognition. If that is the case, find ways to recognize the person in a way that is private for them. However, it is important to let your manager and others know what this person has accomplished. Ask for their permission in sharing discreetly. This can have a positive impact on a promotion, a rating, or added responsibilities.

Recognition doesn’t have to be big and cost lots of money. I love handwritten notes of thanks. Having an ice cream social may be just what the team needs after a heavy lift. Even in times of Covid-19 sending a small gift card for all to purchase their favorite dessert that you share on zoom has also worked.

Timing is very important. Don’t wait too long after great results to say thank you. The moment may be lost and the impact on the employee may be too late to be effective. Also, you don’t have to wait until the end to celebrate longer-term projects. Celebrating milestones along the way is a good idea and will help provide the motivation for your team to keep going.

 When it comes to recognition and celebration it isn’t complicated. Be Intentional. Be Specific. Be Timely.

P.S. This works in your personal life as well.

READ NEXT: Do You Know What is Expected of You?

If I’m in the Right Company, Am I in the Right Job?

Last week I talked about whether you were working in the right company and began to unlock that answer by asking:

Do my values align with the values of the company?

Does the leadership of the company inspire and motivate me?

Is there room to grow and develop and is it encouraged?

 This week we begin the discussion with the assumption that you are in the right company so are you in the right job? Factors such as clear goals and expectations, growth and development supported by your manager, being empowered, recognition and team dynamics all play a part in determining if you are in the right role.

One of the important components to understanding if you are in the right job is understanding if the expectations of your job are clear. Nothing causes more confusion or leads to more disappointment if you and your manager are not aligned here.  You and your manager should agree on what your goals are, and what you will achieve by when. Goals must also be achievable. It doesn’t mean there can’t be stretch goals. It is good to try to move beyond what you think you are capable of.  However, there should be a balance between achievable and stretch goals and you should understand exactly what is expected of you.  If goals change due to unforeseen circumstances in the organization, the expectations for your performance should change as well. Understanding expectations through dialogue with your manager will help prevent you from being overloaded with work.  Priorities may shift and they often do, but work can’t be a continual pile on. Trying to do it all without relief is not a recipe for success or job satisfaction.

First-Time Managers Start Here: Building a Solid Foundation for New and Aspiring Managers

By Aldrich, Donna

Are you empowered to get your job done without being micromanaged? It is important to feel trusted by those around you including your manager.  Taking the initiative and making decisions should be encouraged. I often hear managers say, “This is how I have done this in the past.” when handing over responsibilities to their direct reports.  This sets up the employee to think that is the way the manager wants to see it done.  This doesn’t leave much space for the employee to be creative or come up with their own way of working.  A better method may be to ask the employee how they might handle a project or situation first.  I see this happening in meetings as well.  The manager asks for employee feedback but says “Here’s what I think,” prior to anyone else speaking.  As a manager it is a good idea to collect the feedback, repeat back what you have heard and then maybe share your opinion.

Are you being recognized for the results you are achieving? Recognition comes in many forms and everyone is motivated differently. It can be monetary recognition or public recognition. It may be recognition in the way of promotion, or in taking on new responsibilities.  You need to decide what is important to you, and ensure your manager knows what kind of recognition you are looking for.

Is your manager engaged in your growth and development? Depending on where you want to go with your career, it is important for your manager to support your journey.  Not having room to grow is one of the biggest reasons people leave their jobs.  Not only does the organization’s culture need to support the growth and development of its employees, the manager needs to do so as well.  You and your manager should set aside time to discuss what you would like to achieve, or where you would like to grow, at least a few times a year.  The manager can help pave the way by making introductions, showcasing your work to others, and exposing you to new experiences.  This is a two-way street, however, and you need to do your part in taking initiative and meeting commitments when these opportunities are presented to you.

Understanding your strengths is also an important component of answering this question. Do you know what your strengths are?  If yes, then are these the skills you are using to get your job done? Playing to your strengths is important in job satisfaction.  Studies have shown that you grow faster when you play to your strengths.  This doesn’t mean that you don’t develop your gap areas, especially if they are required in the job that you do.  We don’t all have the luxury of delegating to others who are stronger in those areas.  You must understand what is required of you in those gap areas in order to be successful and perform to that level. To close the gap, you may need assistance from your manager or your peers.   You may also need to take some additional training.

Do you enjoy working with your colleagues? The team or department dynamics play an important role in establishing relationships at work.  Do you trust your teammates? I believe collaboration and support of colleagues are important in our day to day job satisfaction.  Can you reach out to a colleague when you need help? Are you willing to offer support when someone else needs it? Again, the manager plays a very important role in modeling and fostering collaboration and respect within the team.

There may be other reasons for you to stay in your current job.  It is personal to you. However, if answering the questions above produces many negative responses, then perhaps it is time to think about a change.