Recognize This! – Don’t forget the key ingredients to employee engagement and excellence.

I’ve written a few blog posts in the last couple of months where I noticed I used these two words in conjunction – Useless Unless. Two little letters of difference, yet a tremendous differentiator.

Think of the ramifications in real life:

* The fastest car in the world is useless unless you put fuel in the tank.
* The best education is useless unless you put it to work.
* The most talented basketball player is useless unless you give him a basketball (and committed team) to play with.
* An incredibly delicious dinner party is useless unless you have friends and family to invite and share it with.
* Talented, high-potential employees are useless unless they know the end goal and how to help achieve it.

What’s missing that’s most important? “E”

* Encourage – We need encouragement at work. Encouragement isn’t just something to be given in tough times, but also to let people know they’re on the right track – their work has greater meaning and purpose in achieving the bigger picture.
* Extoll – Don’t forget the praise. Recognize people when they go above and beyond. Shout their achievements and contributions from the rooftops. Make sure they know their efforts are noticed, appreciated and valued.
* Engage – If you Encourage and Extol, you’ve taken a giant step forward in creating a work environment in which people choose to engage. And engaged employees are more productive, more easily retained and more beneficial to the bottom line.

What else is useless unless… ?