Whether speaking to Store Managers, HR Leaders, Co-managers, or Shift Managers, MyEmployees Engagement Coaches hear A LOT of the same concerns across multiple industries.
Our clients’ consistent feedback helps us easily identify which areas of recognition programs & leadership development need the most consistent troubleshooting.
And YOU get to benefit from our experiences & conversations with over 100,000 leaders!
So without further adieu, here’s part two of our troubleshooting series…
2nd topic: What to do if you’re worried about recognizing the same people.
On a day-to-day basis, our COO, Adam Tartt, is in charge of our entire team. Though often charged with finding fair & creative ways to handle tough situations, Adam remains loved by all. No easy task.
So let’s take a look inside Adam’s beautiful brain first as he shares some hot kernels of wisdom, popped in the school of hard knocks from his experiences as a front-line leader…
Advice from MyEmployees COO, Adam Tartt:
“I completely understand why recognizing the same team members would seem counterproductive to many managers, and if a couple of key actions aren’t taken, it can be.
However, it is essential to understand that failing to recognize your top performers merely because they were previously recognized will destroy the motivation & drive of your greatest assets – your top people. Rest assured, when top performers stop getting recognized, they go somewhere they will be. That is what superstars do.
So here are a couple of things that need to be done to help mitigate the risk of degrading morale by recognizing the deserving party no matter how many times they have won in the past.
1 – Start with a clearly defined & objective roadmap to success. If your employees understand exactly what it takes to win, and more importantly, why this person continues to win, the chance of them feeling the process is unfair is significantly reduced.
2 – Provide coaching to the 2nd & 3rd place performers (and beyond!) to help them elevate their game and to make the process that much more competitive. Coaching has the combined benefit of continuing the development of your top people, while also keeping that top performer striving for excellence. Your superstar is sure to continue to improve if they know there is someone on their heels working hard for an opportunity to shine.
Still skeptical? If you assume that none of what I have shared here is valid, ask yourself this question…
‘Which employee am I most comfortable losing? My top performer because I stopped recognizing them, or an employee who has yet to be recognized because their performance has yet to warrant it?'”
Employee Development
Adam mentioned something fundamental to EVERY business’s success: “continuing the development of your top people.”
No one understands the importance of employee development more than Adam. He started as an entry-level member of our Production team, became the Department Manager, and eventually COO. Adam recently celebrated is 20 Year Anniversary with MyEmployees!
Did you know developing your team members decreases employee turnover? It’s true according to industry thought leaders, like Forbes. Surveys we conduct for our Star Culture clients often reveal the same void in employee development.
MyEmployees is no exception. Aside from Adam’s remarkable accomplishments with the company, two of our past Engagement Coaches continued their development and now coach District Managers & Executives!
Advice from Executive Coach, Keesha Starr (former Engagement Coach):
“When you are concerned about recognizing the same people, it’s because you think that it’s up to you to choose who is most deserving. That is a daunting task for anyone who genuinely cares for their team!
When you shift your perspective to setting the goals for the team AND coaching them as they reach to achieve those goals, then it’s no longer your decision who wins.
You are the coach of your team- not the boss. When you shift your perspective, there is far less pressure for you to ‘do it all’ and more opportunity for you to lead well.”
Advice from Business Engagement Strategist, Becky Lovett (former Engagement Coach):
“To quote the great Zig Ziglar, ‘People often say motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.’
Here’s another way to think about it: You are never going to lose a great employee because they were recognized too much, but you WILL lose them if they feel their hard work goes unnoticed or unappreciated.
Let’s be honest. Life is not fair. If you try to run your business by making sure everyone gets awarded equally, you will demotivate your hard-working employees and make your disengaged employees comfortable continuing with a mediocre or poor performance.
To share a personal story…
There was a year I won our company’s top award for my department 6 months in a row. Would I have been discouraged if I didn’t win just because I had won before? Absolutely. Did the award lose its impact? Not at all! In fact, it gave me encouragement & motivation to continue striving for it each & every time knowing my efforts were positively impacting our clients & the company.
That’s why it’s so important to let your employees know how much it means to you & your business when they give it their all – especially if they are consistent.”
Last but most certainly not least, let’s hear from a current Engagement Coach here at MyEmployees. Nick Capps is a consistent top performer with a servant’s heart and a champion’s spirit! His clients are lucky to have him working for their team sharing his insights & passion for what is right.
Advice from Engagement Coach, Nick Capps:
“If you are coaching a baseball team and your star first baseman is hitting home runs every third at-bat, would you make him sit out of the next game? Would you tell the press not to interview him? Would you tell his teammates not to watch & learn from what he is doing?
NO! Of course not. You would put him on the field every chance you get. You would make sure ESPN seeks him out. You would encourage your entire team to take notes from him. You want that person to be at bat as many times as possible. Why? Because you can depend on him. He will come through in the clutch. He will make everyone around him better.
Employees are much like this. They need to know what it takes to help their team win, and when you find them doing those things, you let the world know. You hold a “recognition press conference” with as many people as possible, because those top performers are vital to the success of the team, and they need to know as often as possible they are the difference makers. Don’t miss out because of a silly rule that limits the number of times an employee can win in a year.”
Got more questions?
We hope this insight from multiple levels of the MyEmployees team is helpful!
Do you have more questions or concerns? Reach out to your Engagement Coach today! Your EC is here to help get your team’s recognition program dialed in for maximum impact.
Just call 1-800-489-0230 and someone will be happy to connect you with your Coach.
Don’t wait! Reach out to your Engagement Coach today & use them as a resource for troubleshooting!
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