Managers tend to overlook everyday opportunities to express recognition to their subordinates and colleagues. Isn't that a pity? Incentive Magazine recently published a short test in which you can verify whether you rank among those who cannot see opportunities to praise. Answers to the questions, whose author is president of the American Recognition Management Institute Roy Saunderson, will help you discover your options for further management development.
1. Are you too rigid? The fact that your company has a formal programme for employee evaluation does not mean you cannot praise your staff outside the period of annual performance evaluations.
2. Are you too impersonal? If you want to compliment someone, praise publicly and specifically. Feel free to stop working for a while, call your team together and talk about the achievements of all its members.
3. Do you rely on technology too much? If you only praise your staff via e-mail or social networks, it is still impersonal. Look for opportunities to meet face to face.
4. Can you express thanks? No manager should take the efforts of their staff for granted. On the contrary, you should notice their extra efforts and express thanks for them.
5. Do you have days when you do not praise anybody? Then these are lost days and soon you may even lose your staff.
6. Do you praise in writing? Formal written thank-you notes are still in fashion, ideally written by your own hand.
7. Do you praise in time? Your complimentary words should be heard as soon as possible. If you tend to forget, try to schedule a few minutes every morning to think about whom you should praise.
8. Are you worried about overpraising? Unlike material rewards, genuine expressions of praise are never bad.
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