Recognize Your Peeps

December 29, 2010 by Leave a Comment

In this economy, minimal cost of living raises aren’t a given for annual increases in many organizations. Some have frozen increases for the foreseeable future, including the federal government. It’s easy to get down about being overlooked for promotions due to budget issues even though your performance has been stellar. There are still many ways to reward your team that won’t break the budget and empower your colleagues to feel great about the work they are doing.

Kim Stiglitz, spent 7 years designing reward and recognition programs for one of the largest retailers in the world. She shared the following tips in a blog article from Vertical Response Email Market that will help managers share authentic recognition with their employees to motivate and inspire them to perform above and beyond their capabilities.

  1. Give ‘Em the 411: Informed peeps are empowered. Many managers make the mistake of keeping all the information to themselves. Instead, share information with your team. Fill them in on how your organization is doing, what the future holds and how they play a part in it. By giving your peeps information, you empower them to make informed, confident decisions and choices, which not only benefit them, but your organization.
  2. Miss (or Mr.) Independent: How many people like being micromanaged? Not too many! Employees value independence, so give it to them. When you work with your peeps to tell them what needs to be done and then give them the ability to decide how to do it, you increase their independence and ability to take more ownership of their role.
  3. Be Gumby: Everyone appreciates flexibility in their work whether it’s working flex hours, working from home or something else. This can be very motivating and shows you trust your peeps. In workplaces where this may not be possible, find ways to be flexible and your employees will respond.
  4. Give Me More: We all know training and development happen in real-time, on the job. Provide your peeps lots of opportunities to grow and learn by investing in their development and provide them stretch goals. It shows your peeps that you trust, respect and want the best for them. You’ll be rewarded when they perform at higher levels with each opportunity.
  5. Decisions, Decisions: How does it feel when all the decisions are made for you? Not so good, eh? Well, your peeps are closer than anyone to the work they do so they are really the best decision makers. Sometimes as managers we make the mistake of deciding for our employees. Take a step back and ask them what they think and what they recommend. They’ll be more involved in the process and therefore more invested in the outcome.
  6. How Am I Doing? Everyone wants to know how they are doing at any time so hold frequent check-ins throughout the year so you can have honest conversations about your peeps performance. Take the time to share what they are doing well and what could use some work. Also, remember to share great feedback with the leadership team of your company so they’re aware of the contributions your peeps are making. The more feedback you give your employees, the more they will be equipped to respond to the needs of your organization.
  7. Celebrate! Often we are so busy strategizing, working and executing that we cruise through the year without taking the time to celebrate all the success along the way. Remember, if you celebrate often you’ll get more back in return and you’ll foster a culture of recognition.
Filed Under: Career Wisdom Tagged With: , , ,

Proactive Habits for Success

November 1, 2010 by Leave a Comment

While pursuing research for my book, I interviewed over 150 women around the world. Many of these career changing women went from working in an organization to starting their own business. According to Women’s Financial Network, twice as many women start their own businesses as men. Whether the entrepreneurial spirit is alive in you or not, the women I spoke with shared these successful habits that have empowered them to achieve their career goals and be productive at work by working smarter.

Network before you need it. Successful professional women have embraced the power of positive relationships and use strategic associations to generate business, gather information, and build community. Whether you are seeking out information, or new clients, getting out there and meeting with people will make you visible and accessible. In addition to sharpening your communication skills, meeting with people gives you a chance to pay-it-forward to others to make sure that networking is a two-way street.

Cultivate your organizational skills to achieve your goals. As little as 20 minutes a day can be enough to focus on your daily tasks to develop a plan about what you want to accomplish. Make a manageable to-do list and keep your work space (and car) organized and clutter free. Use a system that works for you to manage and maintain your calendar, finances, and contacts so you can set realistic time frames to accomplish your goals. Organization can equal productivity and allow you to spend your free time doing more of what you really want since clutter takes precious time away from spending your non-work time as you wish.

Keep learning! You need not only add full degrees to your credential list to expand your knowledge and earning power. Take advantage of certificates, online classes, webinars, and short term courses to give yourself a competitive edge in your field. Professional development should be a lifelong pursuit and one that you enjoy.

Creativity and innovation are among the most desirable skills in the workplace. Use the creative strategies you may employ at home to solve issues at work and remember that innovation can give you an edge over the competition. Adapting to change and dealing with unexpected challenges translates very positively in the professional arena so get those creative juices flowing to solve problems and come up with solutions on the job.

Relax and reflect to gain perspective and improve your productivity. A brief time out and a chance to get away from the work environment may be just the ticket you need to gain a new perspective about your life and your work.  A lunch time walk, an off-site coffee break or a weekend away may be exactly what you need to change your pace and give yourself a chance to reboot and gain insight into the challenges you face.

By setting goals and rewarding yourself for accomplishments you will be more in control of your career destiny. Have faith in your abilities and embrace new opportunities and challenges with humble confidence. Cheers to you!

Filed Under: Career Wisdom Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Motivation 101

October 27, 2010 by Leave a Comment

If you are looking for inspiring strategies to get your team moving at work, it’s all about developing incentives that will help engage a desired behavior. Most people are driven and inspired by their beliefs, values, personal interests, and even by fear. But motivating your colleagues to do something will be entirely different than what motivates you since we are all stimulated by different purposes.

One size does not fit all when motivating so in the work arena leaders must start with observation and listening. Get to know your team and figure out what drives each of them individually. Meet with them, ask what they value, and then develop a plan that speaks to your team’s needs.

Motivating with threats or fear is never advisable since it fosters a toxic environment and breeds low morale and low productivity.  Motivate people positively and provide them with a cause to work towards; show them your appreciation and whenever possible, reward positive things with praise or tangible perks.

Studies show that many workers respond to goals and when a team achieves a goal it can boost positive energy and motivation throughout an organization. Let your team develop goals in addition to you as the boss so they have buy-in and because it will be tailored to their strengths if they are involved in the strategy session.

The reward system can be incredibly motivating and need not be based purely on financial remuneration. Single out hard working employees with a special project, task, or a reward of their design that fits within a realistic company plan. By making the environment a positive place to work, motivation becomes intrinsic and infectious.

I’ve also read about some workplaces that have successfully motivated employees by using competition since some individuals are satisfied by comparing their performance to others. Cooperation can also be a motivating factor that engages a team to work together to achieve a goal.  Some leaders motivate through curiosity by stimulating an interest to learn and develop amongst their employees.

Bottom line – you most get to know your employees and determine what motivates them. Check in with your team regularly since motivating factors change over time. The feedback you seek from your team will help you design a motivational strategy that will inspire them and provide for a productive and positive work environment.

Filed Under: Career Wisdom Tagged With: , , , ,