Inspiration Conversation

In the USA, we drive on the right side of the road.  I’ve been doing that successfully for a few decades now and like to think that I’m a good driver.  On my trips to England, I’ve imagined what it must be like to drive on the “wrong side” of the road – and I imagine it would be a disaster. Maybe if I was in a tank, or at least a Hummer, I’d survive?  Other cars or pedestrians in the area might not be so lucky.

Even if I was in my own car, I’d be completely disoriented simply because I’d be forced to drive on the other side of the road.  Cognitively, I can understand what I’m supposed to do – but the physiology of my brain would prevent this from being a comfortable experience for me.  To be successful driving in England, I’d have to “unlearn” my ingrained understanding of what driving is about.

Interesting finding number two:

Because the brain better supports the repetition of an already learned behavior or action, individuals must go through a process where a new or different behavior is absorbed over a period of time that allows for cognitive acceptance as well as behavioral adaptation.

For our purposes, the implications for RRS continue to point toward an understanding that time, communication, training and leadership are components that must be factored in to the creation and operation of enterprise wide RRS.

I get that there’s an industry that has used the term “service recognition” for a long time and that habits are hard to break…  But words mean things and I think it’s time to give a long overdue retirement party for this out of date moniker.  Service Recognition was birthed a looooong time ago during an era when womb-to-tomb employment with one organization was highly desirable.  Business culture has changed – there’s nothing wrong with working for the same company for a long time – it’s just valued differently now. 

The problem I have is that too many companies are still recognizing their employees for not dying and not getting fired… which is the primary message sent when the bulk of an employee’s corporate recognition experience is focused on “service recognition”.

Time is an important component to the human experience and we mark it in many ways and at countless occasions during our walk through life – it’s smart to acknowledge the time a person spends with an organization – but it is done best when employee tenure is simply one component of a multi-faceted recognition and reward system that regularly captures other recognition moments. 

So, help me change some thinking and let’s use a different phrase – I’d suggest something unique to your organization (A car rental company uses the term, “Mile Markers”) or if you need something generic, how about “tenure recognition”?  Perhaps with a change in language, we’ll start thinking differently about the application.

2 + 2 = 4. Always. 

But there are plenty of things that call for a nuanced decision making process and non-linear thinking. Oftentimes, there are multiple ways to address a given issue and many of them are “correct”. Paying taxes and picking paint colors for example, and I’d add designing & operating Reward and Recognition Systems (RRS) to the list.

I do my level best to pay the IRS exactly what I owe.  I keep diligent records and use a very good CPA, and yet, I’m not 100% positive the final number is correct. There are just so many options and so many gray areas regarding the specifics.  Common sense says it’s simple – you just follow the rules and punch the correct buttons on the calculator – but we’ve all heard the stories about tax pros looking at the same return with wildly different conclusions.

We are doing some decorating around our house. Ok, my wife is doing some decorating around the house, and she came home with five color swatches for a paint color she’s considering for the legs of a table.  All five swatches are black.  Yep – five different shades of “black”.  Which one is correct (I picked the one she liked, but THAT lessons got nothing to do with this post)?  There seem to be multiple shades of a color that I thought was pretty simple to describe.

So maybe you’re redecorating your people strategy or trying to figure out what rules to follow to create your RRS.  In my experience, there are a few “2 + 2” facts to keep in mind: 

• Know what result you’re trying to achieve.  These can be strategic (become the best employer in our region) or tactical (increase sales by 15%).
• Follow a process.  At The Miller Company, we use Recognition Professionals International’s Seven Best Practice Standards (www.recognition.org)
• Involve senior management.  Help them understand how the RRS will drive corporate goals and tell them what they can do to help the effort.

Building an RRS involves a little science and a little art. Get the science right, then enjoy the creative process of choosing the “colors” that work best for your organization.

Here’s a link to an interesting discussion between two very strong thinkers in the incentive and recognition space.  I follow both Rick and Paul and I learn a lot from what they have to say.  Both make strong arguments regarding the issue of gift cards within a recognition and reward system (RRS).  As I read the post and the comments, I found myself struggling to make a choice on who I thought was “right” and finally determined… both.

http://ideationz.wordpress.com/2010/04/15/turning-retail-gift-cards-into-a-global-farce/

I get that there have to be decisions made around what mechanism is used to fulfill the ultimate promise of a reward within an organization’s RRS and it’s healthy to listen to articulate people dissect the pros and cons of respective ways to do that. I also think that it’s healthy to realize that it’s not really about the reward mechanism – there are several valid ways (none “perfect”) to get that done.  What really matters is making sure that an organization’s RRS is designed to suit their unique issues – I’m confident Rick and Paul would agree.  

I’m agnostic on the issue of what’s “best”…  I think best is a function of lots of things and is defined singularly by the particular situation being addressed at the time.  I’m suspicious of people or companies that say their solution is always “the best”.

So, maybe you appreciate the value that a formal Reward & Recognition System (RRS) can add to your organization, but you've got questions about how to budget for it.

The calculator below will provide you with a starting point based on industry averages. But who wants to be average? The fact is your RRS could spend well above the norm, but if it isn't aligned with your organization's values then it's a below average system and you're spending money on wasted opportunities.

Have some fun tinkering around with our calculator, but keep in mind that when it comes to designing your RRS, our focus will be on creating above average strategy, measurement and communication.

Using the calculator:

• click the yellow exclamation point to read an explanation of our calculation in each segment of your RRS
• the slider begins at industry averages, pull it to the left and right to adjust your investment
• in the "# Behaviors" field of the Peer to Peer section, enter your estimate of recognition moments per employee per month 

As businesses continue to get more comfortable with their employees actively building and engaging their network through Social Media (although there are some exceptions), there's an opportunity to use these sites to recognize and motivate employees.

Here are three ideas to help you get started.

[But remember, as our friend Peter has mentioned as well, technology only enables recognition ... never let any of your tools replace the human touch.] 

1.  Create a video compilation of your event and post it on YouTube.
   
   Zappos recently celebrated their 10 year anniversary and some other big news with what looks to be a pretty serious party in Vegas. Not only did they post it on YouTube, their CEO tweeted about it as well.  
   
   To take it one step further, you could lend out digital cameras at the beginning of the event. Collect them afterward and compile the video using footage shot by the employees and attendees.  
   
   
2.  Create a Twitter profile for your RRS and encourage participants to follow.
   
   You could have a lot of fun with this and give your program its own "voice", or grant posting access to all the members of your recognition team to share announcements, gather nominations, and address employee concerns.
   
   If you went with the team approach, it could be designed to be similar to Best Buy's @twelpforce customer service (customers send their message to @ProgramName, and anyone on the team jumps in to help).
   
    
3.  Create a Facebook Fan Page for your RRS.
   
   Just as the participants who follow your program on Twitter will receive announcements and have another venue for interaction, Facebook members who become a fan of the program will see updates and photos in their News Feed.
   
   The Fan Page's Wall could also serve as a venue for Peer-to-Peer recognition. Like I mentioned off the top, ideally this would serve as a place to reaffirm a congratulatory note or pat-on-the-back already delivered in person, i.e. "Just wanted to acknowledge Jim's commitment to teamwork once again. Thanks for your enormous contribution to the Bridges 2010 project, Jim!" Not, "Hey Jim, thanks." on Facebook without an actual word ever being spoken in the office.

That's got the trifecta of Social Networking sites covered (with apologies to MySpace which is still statistically popular, but is being shown the door).

Explore the additional features within each of these sites and you'll no doubt discover ways to add even more character and interaction to your program (quizzes on Facebook, ReTweeting recognition notes, etc.). Have other ideas? Share them with us @TheMillerCo.

Twitter was down this morning as a result of what appears to be a relatively successful denial-of-service attack.

Here's a line from an AP story about the incident:

"For users of the fast-growing messaging service, the outage means no tweeting about lunch plans, the weather or the fact that Twitter is down."

Really? Snark from the Associated Press?

The outage also means that influential people aren't sharing new thoughts with their network this morning. Why not mention that? Even with Twitter's undeniable role in the Iran Election protests (#IranElection continues to be a daily trending topic), it still has a reputation among some people as merely being a peddler of so much drivel. It must be said that that reputation exists almost exclusively among those who don't actually use the service.

We deal with this sort of inaccurate reputation and these kinds of snide remarks in the world of Recognition don't we?

A prospective client once said to me, "Yeah we've got a great Incentive program. Every two weeks we cut our employees a check, and in exchange they show up and do their job."

Bravo, sir. But there is a wealth of untapped potential in your middle 60% if you were willing to listen, learn, and try motivation on for size.

How do you win over someone who sees little value in a service that has earned your enthusiasm?

It might feel good for me to say to someone who makes fun of Twitter, "Oh yeah, real nice. Say, have you figured out how to program your VCR yet?" Complimenting their 8-track collection might also be in order. (I could go on...I've got a stockpile of these.) But no, while that might be more satisfying, are they at all likely to become a convert? Absolutely not.

Probably much better to bite my tongue and share a story. Last fall I was in Chicago on business, and one evening I posted a Tweet about something I had just seen at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Some minutes later I get a message from an old friend I hadn't seen in years who also happened to be in Chicago shooting a commercial. He had read my Tweet and sent a reply. Two hours later we're toasting one another on Ohio Ave. I think that's impossible to make fun of.

What about those who don't believe that Recognition and Employee Incentive Programs are vital to your organization's success? Do you feel like saying, "Ok, nevermind the stacks of perennial research validating Recognition. Nevermind that even NFL-bound college athletes proudly collect stickers (stickers!!) on their helmets as a symbol of their accomplishment! Nevermind all that!"

Instead, let's take a breath and keep sharing stories. Stories about how, yes as a matter of fact, that thank you card that your co-worker sent in appreciation of your efforts meant a lot. That the plaque congratulating you for personifying one of your company's core values not only makes you proud but encourages you to repeat those behaviors more regularly.

What's your best story? What is it about Recognition to you that is impossible to make fun of?

"Universally we all have the same human foundation. Each of us is shaped slightly by our environment and culture, but we are more alike than different. I experienced it in the business workshops, as the Afghan personalities sorted out just like they did with a group of 30 Texans in March. I experienced it as I heard fathers and grandfathers share dreams of education, peace, and prosperity for their children. I experienced it as I sat with American military leaders who desperately want to make a difference for their sacrifice, while longing for home at the same time."

If you're reading this blog, some of your work involves employee engagement, employee retention or the work of developing and operating employee recognition and reward systems. Ross' words, particularly the phrase, "we are more alike than different", resonated with me in that, our work is very much about helping companies find and express the pieces of their DNA that can become the "common cause" for employees.

Where can your company find the place where your employees can be "more alike than different"? What would happen to your organization if you began to tease out the common behaviors that, when performed, would allow all employees an opportunity to be celebrated for their respective contributions?

That's what it says in giant black letters on the card facing the employees at a nearby sandwich shop.

Right there at the beginning of the sandwich assembly line, "Remember to ask, 'Would You Like Soup with Your Sandwich'". 

But they've never asked me. Not even once.

If we were to scratch the surface, we'd probably discover that there are a host of reasons this initiative is going nowhere, but they'd all boil down to the fact that these BLT artisans have simply decided that asking this simple question just isn't worth it.

What might the employees tell us?

"Hardly anyone says 'yes'."

"Even if they do it's just extra work and I'd rather just keep the line moving."

"I don't like the manager who implemented this so I never even gave it a chance."

Again, bottom line is that they've decided it's not worth it, and when encouraging a behavior as simple as beginning the order process with one simple question has failed, then there are some issues that need to be addressed. How might this store's sales improve if the shift that sold the most cups of soup received a tangible, meaningful reward? If designed intelligently, communicated effectively, and assessed regularly, a sales incentive program could boost morale, increase profits, and pay for itself.

Where are these gaps in your organization? What's the question you want asked or the behaviors you want to see repeated, that if rewarded, would pay for themselves and then some?

The Miller Company's CEO, Tom Miller, has a featured article in "Return on Performance", a new publication by the Incentive Marketing Association. Tom's article is titled, "A Healthy Recognition and Reward System Helps You Lead".

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In your role as leader, think about the tools available to communicate the strategy and tactics in place at your company. There are the things you say publically, the messaging carried by your management team, the vision/mission/values statements that populate your website and conference room walls, compensation plans, inventive and bonus plans...and your non-compensatory Recognition and Reward System (RRS).

RRS as a means to support leadership is something of a new concept. Not long ago, "recognition" typically meant acknowledging the length of time someone had worked at your company. Tenure cuts across all job descriptions and performance levels and, used creatively, it can serve as a rallying point for an individual or department. But the recognition industry has widened to celebrate other forms of success, too.

Contemporary business issues have served to shape recognition in a way that is more reflective of the needs of forward-thinking companies. Recognizing tenure has been coupled with enabling employees to acknowledge "right behaviors" when they see them (commonly called peer-to-peer recognition). When recognition for high performance is added, the makings of a healthy RRS are in place. How do these pieces come together to help you lead?

Regardless of your leadership style, there are some commonalities all leaders share in their job descriptions. They include having vision, aspiring to help employees succeed and creating a secure job place. Let's consider how a well-designed RRS could multiply your efforts in each of these roles.

Being a "visionary" may be the most common way to describe a leader. Visionaries see the future and then lead toward that goal. But what gets them to the goal? Behaviors. Only by identifying and calling out the behaviors necessary to achieve success, and then practicing those behaviors, can a goal be reached. An RRS serves as an accountability system for the behaviors necessary to achieve organizational objectives. It's always there - reminding everyone how to be a contributor in achieving your visionary goal.

Any leader worthy of the title understands the importance of helping others succeed. An RRS serves as a consistent encourager to all employees. It's critical that every person in every position within your organization has a reasonable opportunity to be recognized and rewarded when behaviors warrant. Employees want to know they are valued - with an RRS in place, there's a much greater chance of "catching someone doing something right".

The vast majority of your employees are looking for stability in their work. Change is difficult and scary for them. You know what happens to productivity when negative rumors and fear circulate. An RRS serves to highlight contributions that are leading to success. Individual or group successes signal organizational stability. So, in good times or bad, an RRS regularly communicates that positive things are happening within your company.

There's much to discuss about what a healthy RRS looks like. That's another article for another day. For now, consider how an RRS might multiply your leadership efforts and how your company and its employees would benefit.