Page 117 - Build a Culture of Employee Engagement with the Principles

88 Carrots and Sticks Don’t Work

disengaged over time. Although the rate of disengagement
can be rapid, as in my own experience that I shared earlier,
the descent is typically more gradual and results from manag-
ers who fail to acknowledge their employees’ contributions over
time. Such employees feel taken for granted and disrespected.
Have you ever worked for a boss who rarely, if ever, recognized
your hard work? The following example about Peter exemplifies
the cost of failing to acknowledge your employees.

Story from the Trenches

Peter was a bright, hardworking, and dedicated young human
resources consultant; he had all the “right stuff.” He consistently
went above and beyond the expectations of both his boss and his
clients. He cared about doing things right and never complained
about putting in long hours or staying behind to finish work while
the boss took clients to dinner. Peter’s efforts were noticed by
clients, which led to more work and money for his company. By all
measures, Peter was doing well.
I met Peter after delivering a presentation on the RESPECT
Model. He said, “I just wanted to thank you; I came here today
with a question and you answered it.” I told him that I was glad
to have helped and asked if he would share the question. He
said, “I’ve been with the same company for several years. I’ve
done well and have been pretty happy, but over the last several
months I’ve grown more and more disengaged. I haven’t felt as
energized as I once did and don’t work as hard anymore. Honestly,
I just don’t care as much as I used to, and, before today, I couldn’t
figure out why. What I realized from your talk is that I just haven’t
felt respected. In all the years that I’ve worked for my boss, I don’t