In recent years, the importance of team recognition in the workplace has steadily declined in the minds of top management. Business consulting firms report that many managers and team leaders have the mistaken notion that when a team is praised for an exceptional job or for being on time and under budget on a project, they are in effect negating the contributions of the individual members. Not true. Business consulting firms will tell you that overcoming these obstacles and establishing a pattern of periodic team recognition is essential to business success.
Mistaken Notion #1: Individual Team Members Will Resent Team Recognition
Team leaders and managers might worry that if you praise a team for a job well done, there will be someone pouting in the corner because they feel like they did more of the work and should have gotten the lion’s share of the praise. It’s not likely, but if you DO have someone like this on your team, it’s important to neutralize their toxic attitude rather than giving them additional praise. (Remember last week’s post about Toxic Rainmakers?) The reality is that most team members will happily give each other credit when team recognition is given. In their minds, there’s enough to go around.
Mistaken Notion #2: Team Recognition At The End Of The Project Isn’t Effective
Actually, this notion is only half wrong. If you always wait until the end of a project to give praise or recognition, some team members may be too burnt out to enjoy the praise. If you notice that the team recognition you always give at the end of a project or goal isn’t received as enthusiastically as it used to be, timing may be your problem. When you always give every team the same pat on the back at the tail end of a project, the reward is no longer perceived as recognition for a job well done. Instead, employees come to expect it. It’s no longer an incentive at this point. Recognition and reward can still be effective if you dole it out in doses over the timeline of the project.
Mistaken Notion #3: Recognizing A Team’s Efforts Before The Job Is Done May Sabotage Individual Effort
Some managers fear that once they give team recognition, performance will slack off as members pat themselves on the back and the hardest workers start to coast. They may also fear that the team members who haven’t been pulling their weight will slack off even more. In fact, business consulting firms assert that early praise has the opposite effect. Hard workers tend to buckle down, and slackers often get fired up about the project once they realize that the goals are achievable and hard work can bring them more of that sweet taste of team recognition.
Makarios Consulting can suggest powerful team recognition approaches that will ensure the success of all your small business goals. Not all business consulting firms offer the personalized service you’ll get at Makarios Consulting. Visit our website or call 610-380-8735 to discuss team recognition in more detail.
Image credit: rido / 123RF Stock Photo