Rules for Recognition
- Sensitivity: Be sensitive to the wishes of the person you're recognizing. You don't want to recognize a person in a way that they may not want or appreciate. For instance, a student told me she promptly quit her position as a safety committee chairperson after being publicly recognized in front of everyone for her great work over the previous year. When asked why she quit the position, she said, "I never want to be recognized in front of people like that again!" Before you recognize employees, ask them if they are comfortable with being recognized in public.
Shake hands with a smile.
- Shake hands! Don't forget to shake the hand of the person you're recognizing. The more senses used to recognize, the better: sight, sound, and touch are all good. All that, plus some pizza would sure work for me. In today's world, you might even consider a "fist bump," or a "high five," especially with younger employees.
- Smile! It's not what you say, it's how you say it! Be sure to smile when you give positive recognition. This simple rule is one of the most important because it sends a positive "relationship" message that complements the "content" of the message you're sending. The employee receiving your recognition will be affected more by the relationship message than the content of the message.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-2. According to the Rules for Recognition, why is it important to smile when telling someone you appreciate their work?
You forgot to answer the question!