By Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, 11.12.10 - Forbes.com
As revealed by decades of research.
They can happen in the middle of the day, night, or even during a traffic jam, the "aha" or "light bulb" moments in our lives--those thoughts of clear brilliance where the proverbial light bulb appears over our head.
What does a light bulb moment have to do with teamwork?
Charles Batcheldor was a machinist. John Kruesi was a clockmaker. Ludwig Boehm was a glassblower. Francis Upton was a mathematician. Together, they shared a light bulb moment with the inventor Thomas Edison. After all, the commercially viable incandescent light bulb was the product of an entire team, not the single inventor we were taught in fifth grade. In fact, our research about teamwork shows that there are no great leaders without great teams.
For the past few decades we have buried ourselves in research into the drivers of human performance. Growing out of that research, our latest book, The Orange Revolution, includes the results of a 350,000-person study that measured the characteristics of extremely productive teams. We found a lot of what we had theorized there in the data. Just like that night in Menlo Park when Edison and his team knew their bulb would light but had no idea how long it would stay lit, we were staring at the glimmer of our own light bulb moments.
Please click on the link below to continue reading about the four essential qualities that might change the way you lead or participate on your work teams.
http://www.forbes.com/2010/11/12/teams-essential-qualities-leadership-managing-engagement.html
Monday, November 22, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Carrot Principle, World-Renowned Recognition Training Seminar!
COMING SOON TO THE DC METRO AREA, EARLY 2011!
• Why aligning recognition with your organization’s core values, goals or strategies can immediately engage employees—initiating immediate results.
Corporate America’s most valuable training program, once exclusively offered only to select organizations and managers, will soon be offering limited seating to the public.
The Carrot Principle Training Seminar teaches managers how to engage employees and accelerate performance through purposed recognition.
Participants will learn:
• The science behind recognition’s impact in an organization (based on the New York Times bestselling book The Carrot Principle and its 10-year, 200,000-person research study).
• The science behind recognition’s impact in an organization (based on the New York Times bestselling book The Carrot Principle and its 10-year, 200,000-person research study).
• Why aligning recognition with your organization’s core values, goals or strategies can immediately engage employees—initiating immediate results.
• How recognition done right can accelerate performance, increase productivity and impact your bottom-line in a down economy.
• How and when to most effectively recognize employees, along with countless low-and no-cost ideas to help you personalize recognition efforts to your team or organization.
• How to form an action plan and implement a recognition strategy today.
All registered participants receive the A Carrot a Day Recognition toolkit, a copy of the New York Times bestselling book The Carrot Principle, educational videos, stationary, and more!
All this for only $199*.
All this for only $199*.
Dates and location will be confirmed in the New Year, so stay tuned for more details.
To reserve a seat, or for more information please contact our office at baltimore@octanner.com or call 410-661-5668 (ask for Ellen or Natalie).
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Note to managers: Lack of employee recognition damaging to company performance
Suppose someone asked you the following questions: Do managers in your company do a good job of recognizing employee contributions?
What would you say? Let’s hope you answered positively. But for a majority, getting a pat on the back may be a rare thing.
Based on a large study of employees at U.S. organizations over a decade, Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, who write books and conduct training programs on the power of recognition and team-building, reported some disheartening statistics:
• 79 percent of employees who quit their jobs cite a lack of appreciation as a key reason for leaving.
• 65 percent of North Americans report they didn’t receive recognition at all in the previous year.
The lack of recognition is not only demoralizing to employees, but it can hurt company performance. When employees know their strengths and potential will be praised and recognized, they are more likely to produce value. Recognizing their efforts is not about making sure everyone gets a trophy. It’s really about taking the time to thank people for the contributions they give to making the company a better place.
So what’s a manager to do?
First, examine what is currently being done to recognize employees at the firm. Get feedback from employees on what’s working and what’s not.
Second, design a recognition system that is performance-based. Make sure the system is aligned with the culture you want in your firm and the company’s values and business objectives.
Third, train other managers in providing recognition.
This training might incorporate some of Gostick and Elton’s recommended recognition strategies, including:
• Day-to-day recognition: The most frequent, specific and least costly, this could include pats on the back, handwritten notes, team lunches, on-the-spot award certificates and thank-you gifts.
• Above-and-beyond recognition: More formal recognition for significant accomplishments such as the achievement of sales goals, exceptional customer service, etc. Generally, they suggest awarding these to employees about every two years.
• Career recognition: Formal programs to recognize people for loyalty or cumulative contributions, such as years of service. You could start with a welcome award — thanking them for joining the firm, followed by recognition at their one-, three- and five-year milestones.
• Celebration events: Consist of celebrations for successful completion of a team project, achievement of record results, new product launches, etc.
What would you say? Let’s hope you answered positively. But for a majority, getting a pat on the back may be a rare thing.
Based on a large study of employees at U.S. organizations over a decade, Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, who write books and conduct training programs on the power of recognition and team-building, reported some disheartening statistics:
• 79 percent of employees who quit their jobs cite a lack of appreciation as a key reason for leaving.
• 65 percent of North Americans report they didn’t receive recognition at all in the previous year.
The lack of recognition is not only demoralizing to employees, but it can hurt company performance. When employees know their strengths and potential will be praised and recognized, they are more likely to produce value. Recognizing their efforts is not about making sure everyone gets a trophy. It’s really about taking the time to thank people for the contributions they give to making the company a better place.
So what’s a manager to do?
First, examine what is currently being done to recognize employees at the firm. Get feedback from employees on what’s working and what’s not.
Second, design a recognition system that is performance-based. Make sure the system is aligned with the culture you want in your firm and the company’s values and business objectives.
Third, train other managers in providing recognition.
This training might incorporate some of Gostick and Elton’s recommended recognition strategies, including:
• Day-to-day recognition: The most frequent, specific and least costly, this could include pats on the back, handwritten notes, team lunches, on-the-spot award certificates and thank-you gifts.
• Above-and-beyond recognition: More formal recognition for significant accomplishments such as the achievement of sales goals, exceptional customer service, etc. Generally, they suggest awarding these to employees about every two years.
• Career recognition: Formal programs to recognize people for loyalty or cumulative contributions, such as years of service. You could start with a welcome award — thanking them for joining the firm, followed by recognition at their one-, three- and five-year milestones.
• Celebration events: Consist of celebrations for successful completion of a team project, achievement of record results, new product launches, etc.
Courtesy of NJ.com, 11/1/2010: -- Joyce E.A. Russell, Special to The Washington Post
For more recognition ideas contact your local appreciateologists at the Baltimore Office. Email us at baltimore@octanner.com or call us at 410-661-5668.
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