Incentive - December 2008 - (Page 74)

Can You Be Specific?: From Giving the Real Recognition Way LAST WORD BY ROY SAUNDERSON C an we get specific about recognition, please? This simple secret will make you a pro in giving thanks and praise the Real Recognition way. Somehow the message about being specific has not gotten through to many people yet. Let me review with you what I call the Principle of Specificity. It goes like this: When specifying what is being recognized, you bring recollection of the action to the person’s mind. When specifying why it made a difference, you give them purpose and add connection of emotion between people and the action completed. Social scientist Fred Luthans, from the University of Nebraska, identified the importance of being specific in his research on “The Impact of Recognition on Employee Performance: Theory, Research and Practice.” Using the term “informative content” to describe specific feedback, he notes that effective recognition insists on specifics in order to have any value. He further adds, “This detailed form of recognition not only conveys acknowledgment and genuine appreciation, but also information for reinforcing behavior that can lead to improved performance. Standardized phrases such as ‘good job’ have no such informative content that can lead to performance improvement; it becomes an ‘empty reward,’ not a positive reinforcer detailing how to improve performance.” So with giving everyday recognition the Real Recognition way I insist on people using the “Two-Part Specificity Rule” to make the secret difference. 1. First, tell the person specifically what it Incentive is you are recognizing them for, and 2. Then tell them specifically how what they did made a difference to you personally, or to the customer and/or the organization as a whole. Example: “Thanks for getting this report done in such a timely fashion. I can’t tell you enough how good I am going to look for having these numbers ready before the end of the month.” Note how the expression of thanks specifically acknowledges the speed in which the report was completed and goes on to specifically state the impact this efficiency will have on the person’s boss as well. You absolutely must use both to give the Real Recognition way. What About Formal Recognition? Tell the person specifically what it is you are recognizing them for. Look for the principles buried in these next few ideas. With formal award programs people need to know the specific categories they can be nominated for. Individuals should know the exact criteria they will be judged on and specifically how they will be evaluated. After the formal judging process people want to know how they scored, either as a winner or as a nominee for possibly re-submitting for future award nomination opportunities. There are a few organizations I have been talking to lately who are giving out employee recognition certificates as nominated awards. It sounds like they are only giving general “ideas” to everyone as to when you can nominate someone. I have seen this kind of setup before, and you get the exceptional minority making nominations, because they understand recognition. Then there’s the ordinary majority still wondering what they can nominate people for. Quick aside here: Be careful who you ask to be the evaluators of the award nominations. Some organizations I have seen used just senior management as the evaluators. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for you to also have some representative employees involved in the judging process. Getting them included will help increase participation because of the greater perceived level of fairness and integrity. When you establish specific multiplecategory award options, like excellence in communications, or leadership, technology, innovation, teamwork, community service, heroic acts, etc., you immediately give “specific” cues that people can keep an eye open for. Then with the specific judging criteria and very often a numerical scoring process, nominated individuals can be judged fairly and know exactly where they stand once the judging has been completed. Have I made myself specific enough on this? I For more information or to purchase a copy of Giving the Real Recognition Way, visit www.realrecognition.com. Orders of 25-plus books qualify for bulk sale reduced rate. DECEMBER 2008, VOL. 182, NO. 12—INCENTIVE® (ISSN 1042-5195; USPS 799-880) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA. CORPORATE AND EDITORIAL HEADQUARTERS: 770 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, NY 10003-9595. SUBSCRIPTIONS: US—$59, CANADA—$75, FOREIGN SURFACE—$95, FOREIGN AIRMAIL—$195, SINGLE COPIES—$10. COPYRIGHT 2008 BY NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. POSTMASTER: SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO INCENTIVE, PO BOX 1255, SKOKIE, IL 60076. PERIODICALS MAIL PAID AT NEW YORK, NY, AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. 74 | | December 2008 | incentivemag.com http://www.realrecognition.com http://www.incentivemag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Incentive - December 2008

Incentive - December 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
Headlines
Cover Story: Motivating Their Own
Incentive Interview
Case Study: Cargill's Course
Travel News
Cruises: Saving Without Sacrifice
Spas to the Rescue
Field Report: French Polynesia
Potentials Here and Now
Spa Products
Research: Corporate Gift IQ
Gift Cards: Dining & Entertainment
Advertiser Index
Last Word: Can You Be Specific?

Incentive - December 2008

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