Tag: employee recognition

Managing to Motivate – Improving Employee Engagement

January 29, 2014 by

Managing to Motivate - Improving Employee EngagementMonday I referred to Gallup’s study entitled The State of the American Workplace: Employee Engagement Insights for U.S. Business Leaders – and its finding that managers and leaders hold a powerful influence on workers’ engagement levels.  Employee engagement is enhanced when leaders focus on employee strengths – motivating them to participate in the success of the organization.

So what makes a good leader?  Jim Taylor’s Psychology Today blog post- The 5 Things Great Leaders Do Very Well – offers valuable insight into great leadership.  Most agree that effective leadership is essential but many may disagree as to what effective leadership is – or for that matter – what a leader is.  I absolutely love Taylor’s definition of a leader:

“First, what is a leader? Your answer may include inspiring employees, having a strategic vision and plan, or knowing how to hire or delegate. All of these are necessary, but not sufficient, conditions for being a leader. But the purest definition of a leader I can offer is: someone with followers. Without them, there is no leader.”

He also dismisses the notion of leadership styles, noting that “talking about styles has little value because we are incapable of leading in a way that is inconsistent with who we are as people.”

Your role as an engaged leader is to use your strengths to focus on your employees’ strengths.  Taylor gives five essential roles that effective leaders must fill.

  • As a Person – not how you lead but the kind of person you are and the relationships you build with your team, which is the foundation for gaining respect, trust and loyalty.
  • As a Performer – a role model, engaged in leadership, showing the way, and possessing the psychological, emotional and interpersonal skills to perform at a high level consistently.
  • As a Decision Maker – creating a framework and process that maximizes the chances of your team making good decisions.
  • As an Agent of Change – creating a culture that has the ability to adapt to constant changes in the marketplace.

Are you engaged as a leader or manager? Contact us to find out more about improving employee engagement through employee recognition programs.

Employee Recognition: Meet the New Boss – Same as the Old Boss?

January 27, 2014 by

The need for effective employee recognition programs is driven by many factors – obstacles to your efforts to improve employee engagement and develop a true culture of recognition.  Some are the result of “external” factors, as mentioned by Sarah White in her article entitled Top 3 Employee Rewards and Recognition Trends for 2014 – company… Read more »

Recognition and Incentive Rewards – Trophy Value Lasts a Lifetime

January 23, 2014 by

In the Incentive and Reward Recognition industry, there are many articles, whitepapers, etc. written about this idea of Trophy Value as it relates to the rewards offering.  Trophy Value meaning the continued reminder tangible rewards, as opposed to non-tangible rewards (e.g., cash and gift cards), provide of the task completed and the work performed in… Read more »

Employee Engagement: Are you In or Out?

January 21, 2014 by

“You’re either in or you’re out.”  A long-time friend and former partner is oft-times heard uttering these words – his way of sizing up situations and dealing with indecision or ambiguity.  While applicable in a good number of life and business scenarios, it doesn’t reflect employee engagement in the American workplace, according to Gallup’s 2013… Read more »

The Rippling Effect of Recognition and Gratitude

January 17, 2014 by

Alison Newman’s post – Expressions of Gratitude: Building Blocks of Recognition – was inspired by January’s designation as National Thank You month.  Alison discusses the positive impact expressions of gratitude and appreciation have on individuals when they and their efforts are valued by others – and the organization.  The individual, however, isn’t the only benefactor… Read more »

Happy Birthday, Elvis: Recognition and the Memphis Experience

January 15, 2014 by

Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, MS.  He and his parents moved to Memphis in 1948 and following graduation from Humes High School in 1953, Elvis began his singing career with the legendary Sun Records label the next year.  Elvis’ musical influences were pop, country, gospel and the R&B he… Read more »