Page 231 - Everything I Know About Business I Learned

Recognition

collective competitiveness translated into increased growth for
the region, bringing us revenues that far exceeded the national
average, landing within the top three in almost every category
for many years.
Interestingly, the corporation years later did a company
“Superstars” yearbook, which not only showcased individuals
who were considered the best of the best in company store oper-
ations (I was proud to be in that elite group) in a yearbook style,
but also had “playing cards” made up, just like ball players,
with stats and other trivia on them. It was a clever attempt once
again to give recognition to the staff, and it can be easily adapted
to fit any organization.
The galas, spotlights, rings, and yearbooks—none of it
amounts to rocket science. And yet it worked because we kept
the strategy simple and the programs were well executed and
conducted consistently.
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Food for Thought
How can you motivate employees to improve
performance?

Consider the values that are most important to your organ-
ization. Jot down the kind of effort needed to bring those
values from the abstract to the concrete. Build those efforts
into job descriptions so that employees become account-
able for the action steps. Recognize those who achieve the
best results, whether by praising them in public, or giving
a keepsake at a company celebration, complete with a
speech about the employees commitment to excellence, and
the results it brought to the organization as a whole. Their
peers will see what excellence is all about.