THE OBJECTIVE OF RECOGNITION.
Timely and explicit validation is essential in supervisory guidance, feedback enables efficacy. The practice of informal recognition (IR) then becomes a de facto communication standard. It is important to understand that IR informs procedure, while formal recognition (FR) reiterates desired performance standards. Specificity is essential in the use of informal recognition to achieve maximum efficacy; See examples below, redacted from Top 5 Misrecognitions
1. “Good job, Ben.” vs. Good job on your presentation at the meeting today, Ben. It was articulate, concise, and provided great insight to our Board members.” 2. “Thank you for submitting your proposal last month.” vs. “Thank you for sending your suggestion last month. I finished reading through the entire document today, and I am excited to speak with you further about this idea.” 3. “Thanks for your help.” vs. “Thanks for your help today, Megan. Not only did we hit our deadline, but your positive attitude also made the workload manageable.” 4. “The meeting today was good, thank you for hosting.”vs. “Good leadership skills were displayed today, Mike. I respect how you brought the team together in a meeting to create better alignment.” 5. “Jen, Katie, Mark, Dave, Michelle, Vanessa, Andrew, Sarah, Matt, Alex, and Heather: Excellent job hitting your sales targets.”vs. “Jen, Katie, Mark, Dave, Michelle, Vanessa, Andrew, Sarah, Matt, Alex, and Heather: Excellent job hitting your sales targets. Everyone reached an outstanding personal achievement, and I look forward to discussing this with each of you further in our one-on-ones.”
A balanced approach to formal and informal recognition drives performance and reinforces organisational values.
