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PROVEN WAYS TO BOOST MORALE, PRODUCTIVITY, AND PROFITS
SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND EXPANDED
Make Their Day
Copyright © 2009 by Cindy Ventrice All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. 235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650 San Francisco, California 94104-2916 Tel: (415) 288-0260, Fax: (415) 362-2512 www.bkconnection.com Ordering information for print editions Quantity sales. Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the “Special Sales Department” at the Berrett-Koehler address above. Individual sales. Berrett-Koehler publications are available through most bookstores. They can also be ordered directly from Berrett-Koehler: Tel: (800) 929-2929; Fax: (802) 864-7626; www.bkconnection.com Orders for college textbook/course adoption use. Please contact Berrett-Koehler: Tel: (800) 929-2929; Fax: (802) 864-7626. Orders by U.S. trade bookstores and wholesalers. Please contact Ingram Publisher Services, Tel: (800) 509-4887; Fax: (800) 838-1149; E-mail: customer .service@ingrampublisherservices.com; or visit www.ingrampublisherservices.com/ Ordering for details about electronic ordering. Berrett-Koehler and the BK logo are registered trademarks of Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. Second Edition Paperback print edition ISBN 978-1-57675-601-0 PDF e-book ISBN 978-1-57675-620-1 2009-1 Production management: Michael Bass Associates Cover Design: Randy Martin, martindesign
To those who are striving to create a better workplace.
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contents
Foreword Preface
INTRODUCTION Real Results
P A R T O N E
xi xv
1
Employees Want to Love Their Work
CHAPTER 1
Recognition That Works
Missing the Mark What Makes Recognition Work The Elements of Recognition
11
CHAPTER 2
Finding Recognition Everywhere
Understanding the Motivation Connection Recognizing Purpose and Quality Recognizing Trustworthiness Recognizing Individual Value Recognition Is Everywhere
22
CHAPTER 3
Recognition Starts with Your Relationships
Sticky Recognition Everything Else Is Secondary Employees Have Their Say Filling the Other Guy’s Basket Creating Loyalty How Do You Measure Up? The Dangers of Intracompany Competition
36
vii
viii
P A R T T W O
MAKE THEIR DAY!
Whose Job Is Recognition, Anyway?
CHAPTER 4
Managing for the Greatest Impact
The Most Important Role The 50/30/20 Rule The Manager’s Opportunity and Responsibility Building on the Relationship Foundation What Exceptional Managers Do Going It Alone
53
CHAPTER 5
Leading with Vision, Visibility, and Momentum
Developing a Recognition Culture Showing Value through Action Leading Recognition Programs
71
CHAPTER 6
Partnering with Program Administrators
The Administrator’s Supporting Role Their Good Intentions Leveraging HR’s Work
81
CHAPTER 7
Making Recognition the Responsibility of Every Employee
What One Person Can Do Understanding Peer Recognition Taking Responsibility A Simple and Effective Tool
88
CHAPTER 8
Using Self-Recognition to Improve Quality
Taking the Initiative Celebrating Recognition Days Using Individual Development Plans Adding Self-Recognition to the Mix
P A R T T H R E E
104
Making Recognition Work
CHAPTER 9
Getting Specific and Relevant
Lesson from a Fortune Cookie What Do Values Have to Do with Recognition? Linking Goals to Individual Performance Specific Recognition Makes Their Day
115
Make Their Day!
CHAPTER 10
ix
Measuring for Results
Why Measure? What to Measure? Collecting Data
128
CHAPTER 11
Aligning Recognition with Culture
Doing a Culture Check Considering Industry and Job Preferences Identifying Generational Preferences Dealing with a Dispersed Workforce Changes in Global Team Recognition
138
CHAPTER 12
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Personalizing Individual Recognition The Process of Individualization Identifying the Contribution The Manager’s or Supervisor’s Responsibility Determining Personal Preferences Putting It All Together Case Study—Recognition Misses the Mark
149
CHAPTER 13
Dealing with the Fairness Paradox
Treating Everyone the Same The Four Rules of Fairness Setting Expectations
168
CHAPTER 14
Recognition Is a Work in Progress
177
The Importance of Commitment and Planning Keeping One Ball in the Air Making a Plan Step 1: Determine the Current State of Recognition Step 2: Plan Your Recognition Strategy Step 3: Commit to a Continually Evolving Implementation Where Do You Go from Here?
Appendix: Sample Employee Surveys Resources Acknowledgments Notes Index About the Author
191 199 203 205 209 219
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foreword
For the past quarter century, I’ve had one of the truly great jobs in journalism. My beat has been the workplace—specifically, great workplaces. It’s been my lucky lot to visit and write about companies that employees rave about in a variety of books and magazine articles. For the past half-dozen years, I’ve worked with my fellow journalist Milton Moskowitz to identify and write about the “100 Best Companies to Work For in America” f