Recognize This – Simply encouraging frequent “thanks” can mass mobilize your employees to achieve more than any manager could dream.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to appear on TLNT Radio (playback here) with hosts John Hollon and Lance Haun plus Kevin Grossman as a fellow featured guest.

John and Lance used a recent post of mine on how appreciation – once it becomes a habit in the workplace – can spill over into personal lives as well. They noted that, sadly, many organizations aren’t doing much to encourage a habit of simply saying “thanks.”

I commented that we know employees really value feedback. However, the tools available to do that are challenged – performance appraisals are annual and formal. Employees work under a mix of different manager styles. Whereas recognition – if leadership can make it part of way the company works, encouraging every employee to recognize and appreciate others – then you get the mass mobilization of your own employees. They naturally become the campaigners and champions for living out your values and strategy every day.

I also clarified that this is absolutely not about the “program.” Critically, this is about fostering and encouraging a culture of recognition and appreciation. It’s not about a traditional “employee of the month” or the President’s club. It’s not 5% of employees being recognized – it’s 85% of employees being recognized and appreciated by peers and managers alike. It’s getting that mass mobilization of employees living out those values and being recognized and appreciated for it.

Following my portion on the show on motivating employees and company culture, Kevin Grossman spoke about dream jobs and how people can find value, purpose and passion in their work – whether it’s their “dream job” or not.

Kevin made several excellent points and I encourage you to listen to his full segment. Just three key points (in bold) were (closely paraphrasing Kevin’s comments):

Quotation

On #TChat last week, we were talking about dream jobs, what that means and do they exist. A recent Mercer survey revealed that 51% of employees are looking for a new job or are mentally checked out of the one they are in. The dream job is a misnomer that sets people up for failure. I thought it was fascinating. What led me to write about that was the cute DQ commercial of blowing bubbles with kittens inside. I think that even multigenerationally, we’re think we’re going to find a job with kittens inside of bubbles.

My work, life and everything I do are all part of it. I bring that to work. I want to work in a place that shares that. Your dream job is living a passionate life. If that involves work great. If it has to be separate, fine, but if it’s a blend, then that’s the best. For me, it’s all one big public swimming pool.

Not everyone is going to win. Of the coaches I had as a child, the ones I remember are the ones that told me, “Even though we lost, individually these are the things you did really well, and and these are the things you need to work on.” It’s that that is so important. That culture of acknowledgment of engagement and you did a good job and continual feedback loop we keep talking about.

Can we all work at jobs blowing bubbles with kittens inside them? No. I’m not sure I would want to. That’s not my dream job. And that’s the point. My dream job is different than Kevin Grossman’s dream job – and it’s very likely different than yours.

In your workplace today, on the team of people you work with every day, there are likely a few people who are happy in their “dream job” and a few people who “punch the clock” so they can live out their passion outside of work. Regardless, wouldn’t you as a fellow team member or manager of the team want to make the work day as appreciative and productive as possible? As Kevin pointed out, all employees can feel more validated in their work and more productive in ways you need them to be if you keep the feedback loop constant – both positive and constructive.

Are you in your dream job now? What is it? If not, what would your dream job be?