Acknowledgement In the Workplace: A Retention Strategy

Following my Manager Trapdoors: Four Themes to Correct post, I promised to address the relevance of acknowledgement in the workplace. Identifying acknowledgement as a necessity to contentment at work may seem like a no brainer, but it easily falls through the cracks. Let’s look at the importance of acknowledgement, as well as some easy steps to implement acknowledgment into your day.

The days go by, your teams produce work, and life goes on. Do they feel appreciated for their work? This is a question worth asking.

Acknowledgement not only builds trust, it energizes people. Without a trustworthy environment where motivation is fostered, disengagement is painfully relevant. Gallup estimates that U.S. productivity loss, as a result of disengaged employees, is about $500 billion a year. Further, disengaged employees take an average of 4.5 more sick days per year than actively engaged employees. When the Society for Human Resource Management polled participants for the number one reason they leave a job, the answer was a lack of appreciation.  

Acknowledgement, Recognition, and Appreciation

Judy Umlas, author of the Power of Acknowledgement identified recognition and acknowledgement as two distinct actions.  Recognition is the appreciation of an action. This is the “job well-done” commentary. Thank you for completing a task on time. Think of actions, and their associated result. Conversely, she identifies acknowledgement as the heart-felt appreciation for the person as a whole. This requires a manager to really know their team member. Thank you for being an exceptional listener in that client meeting or I appreciate your natural ability to be genuine. This isn’t the surface-stuff. It’s the underlying behaviors.  

Appreciation, on the other hand, can be accomplished by both acknowledgement and recognition. If we are seeing people flock away due to the absence of appreciation, we have many options in correcting the virus.

To that point, any deficiency in acknowledgement, recognition, and appreciation, contributes to disengagement. Gallup has identified the following:

-       About 30 percent of currently employed people are actively engaged. This is the type of person we should want to see in our organizations. These individuals work with passion, want to succeed, and are committed to their jobs.

-       About 50-52 percent are not engaged employees. They are checked out. Energy is lacking and they do the minimum. (Anyone surprised by this number? Me too.)

-       Then, it’s suggested 18 percent are actively disengaged. The negativity is venomous. From irresponsibility, to speed to criticize, and blatant unhappiness, we’ve all seen a person or two in our careers who demonstrate these behaviors.  

Steps to Take

As a quick background on just one leadership theory, the behavioral approach focuses on what leaders do rather than who leaders are. The behavioral approach suggests that leaders engage in two primary types of behaviors: task behaviors and relationship behaviors. In my work as a management consultant, I have identified the best leaders are focused slightly more (and sometimes significantly so) on relationship behaviors. Can managers be leaders? Absolutely. But the core definitions differ. (Get some more clarity on the difference here.) The point here is this: relationship-oriented leaders and managers will opt to engage in appreciative behaviors more often than their task-oriented counter parts. Unsure where you fall? I can share a great assessment tool with you for self-exploration.  

If you find a team member demonstrating some disengagement traits, try the following.

• Acknowledge them (see above for an example!)

• Recognize them (see above for an example!)

• Listen to them. True listening is a form of acknowledgement. It is validating and truly helps team members feel they are an important part of the team.  

• Adjust your behaviors; try implementing a practice to recognize each of your employees at least once (everyone can do that!) a week.

Have you done all these things and still no luck? Drop me a line.

Until next time –
Brielle 

But… Wasn’t I The Best Manager Ever??

Every week I get the opportunity to evaluate systemic issues; from the micro-culture that is the office environment, to the macro-culture that is our government. Looking for the gaps in human interaction really makes me tick.

With a sufficient knowledge base – an undergraduate degree in communication, a master’s in leadership and organizational communication, and now an in-pursuit doctorate in business leadership, I must be able to walk-the-walk, right?

To answer the question: I most definitely was not the best manager ever.

Self-Assessment & Reflection

If you want to be a leader or manager (find out the leader/manager relationship here), the first step is knowing yourself. It might seem most reasonable to ask a friend what they think about your management capabilities, but that’s not going to cut it. Fortunately, behavioral psychologists and researchers before me have realized self-assessments act as a foundation for changing behavior; and change doesn’t occur without awareness.

In retrospect, revisiting personality or interpersonal leadership style assessments – and truly understanding them – would have proved quite useful before entering management. Here I was thinking I knew myself. In fairness, I was aware of my downfalls, but never took steps to address them… Yeah, that’s a problem.

Let’s see, in 2012 Stratton Consulting identified my interpersonal leadership style as Director, with a correlating perception of flexibility as Rigid. In 2013 the DiSC pinned me in a classic Inspirational Pattern. In 2014 Gallup Strengths-Based Leadership Report coined me as an Executor. And in 2016, Myers-Briggs reiterated my INTJ status. Now without context or experience reading these reports, the aforementioned classifiers aren’t particularly telling.

What I can tell you is I had (and have) blind spots. I’m critical and judgmental. I’m opinionated and persistent. I’m competitive and discontented. And yet, I truly believe people are at the core of functional businesses, and that the purpose of management is to serve their people, not to serve themselves.

It wasn’t until that clicked – until my team’s success meant more to me than my own – that I truly started to change my behavior.

I think of times a team member asked me to review an email or edit a deck. Each and every time I was nitpicky. I have no doubt I drove my team nuts. It was likely cringe worthy!

Did this empower them? No, it showed them that I thought my way was better. If something is flat out wrong, I’m not saying you shouldn’t inquire and help them get to the correct answer (key word help, not enable) but don’t assume your way is the only one. 

Out of all these personality tests, leadership assessments, and the like, there’s one thing I know for sure: any perceived negative attribute I’ve possessed over the years has to do with ego. And the moment we let our egos get in the way, is the moment we lose sight of the value in our human capital.

If you’re like me, you’re hoping I will get to the point here soon. The point is this: self-reflection is a path to leadership development. I encourage you to ask yourself two things:

1. Why do you want to lead?

2. What is the purpose of your leadership?

If the answers are power, money, and prestige, you are at risk for relying on external gratification for fulfillment. I’d be delusional if I said you can’t lead with the desire to serve others, and simultaneously earn influence, prestige, or wealth. But – and this is the big but – be cognizant of underlying motivators.

If there’s an area you’re hoping to improve and you’re looking for literature or some support, you know how to reach me.

For the solo high-performer who wants to remain as such: It’s OK to be a stellar individual contributor and never manage a team. The point here is not to change who you are – it’s to own it and maximize the hell out of it!

Manager Trapdoors: Four Themes to Correct

Individual contributors are a vital part of the organizations for which we work. These individuals are set on a path to achieve. In their success, they are seen as a rising star and are candidates for promotion. Even if the rising star doesn’t know it, their promotion may come with it new, or additional, management responsibilities. But does a high-achiever mean they too are compassionate, respectful, and hold other human leadership attributes? Maybe. But more often than not, no.

This is not to diminish the high-achiever! We need them! And companies should want to reward achievement. The irony? The reward of management responsibility is mismatched with the achievement role, and often sets people up for failure. Pointedly, rewarding high achievers with the responsibility of leading a team is archaic and rooted in traditional work structures dating back to the industrial revolution. (Need an alternative? Let’s discuss.)

If these high-achievers aim to be an exceptional manager and leader, too, then there is great potential. Determining the intent of the individual (e.g., is a life goal to help coach and manage others?) will help direct decision makers in next steps. 

Next steps should consist of coaching for these employees. If they are high performers, help them maintain that level of excellence with the new endeavor of management. When education and coaching does not occur for a new manager, there are four primary themes that result. More simply, these are the traps new managers can fall into without an ample dose of awareness.

Listening
Individual contributors, especially those whom excel, are used to being heard, not hearing. But take note: hearing is different from listening. Listening is an active, engaged, and thoughtful practice. Done well, and listening can tap into core feelings, motivations, and strengthen relationships between team members.

Micromanaging
There’s a reason the high-achiever was promoted. They achieved. They surpassed expectations. They also had a significant amount of influence over their success. One of the biggest challenges for new managers is to control less, and empower more. I’ve seen it time and time again; new managers are concerned about their team’s performance but rather than supporting their team with the tools to achieve on their own, the manager tightens their grip. The belief is only they are capable enough to complete the task well. This attitude is one of the fastest ways to alienate a team.   

Egomania
I call these the “God’s gift to mankind” type. New ideas are seldom heard and team members fear retaliation if they disagree with their boss. As a new manager, the goal should be eagerness to learn and serve.

Feedback
Feedback shouldn’t be left for when there’s a problem. Without training, new managers may find critical feedback is only acceptable during a review. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Consistency and communication are the two attributes leaders and managers must always come back to. Does your employee know how they are doing? Are they given feedback on their performance? Are they recognized for a job well done?  

These themes are rampant – I see each issue in every single client’s place of work. Without addressing them, the crisis of depleting employee engagement then ensues. And, the decrease in employee engagement is a tell-tale sign of a pending departure.

In coming weeks I’ll address tips for acknowledging team members, and the importance in doing so.

Globalization: The Dimensions of Culture in Your Workday

Last week I said I would delve into some elements that contribute to workplace conflict. The root cause is more often than not an absence of communication.  Under that, though, there are cultural elements at play. This makes communication all the more challenging. Social norms and cues are not only interpreted differently, they have wholly different meanings.

To help your empathy levels increase (essential to creating a culture of respect) here are some cultural structures that will serve you well to understand. Keep in mind there will always be scales of these concepts. The more you learn about your team and work environment, the more you can adjust your ability to see there isn’t a “right” and a “wrong.” Sometimes, it’s as “simple” as the fact there are different perspectives of and around the world. Social psychologist Geert Hofstede studied these five cultural dimensions at length.

Individualism vs. Collectivism

Individualism focuses on one’s own interest. The priority lies with the singular person alone. Macro cultures of individualism include the U.S. and Canada. Collectivism, on the other hand, reflect feelings that the group or society should receive top priority. Some societies that follow this notion include Greece and Hong Kong.

Power Distance

Power distance reflect the extent to which members of social system accept the notion that members have varying levels of power. High-power (HP) distance suggests that leaders make decisions simply because they are leaders. HP examples include France, Japan, and Spain. Low-power (LP) distance suggests that social system members do not automatically acknowledge the power of a hierarchy. Examples of LP include Germany, Ireland, and the U.S.

Uncertainty Avoidance

Low uncertainty avoidance is reflected by people who accept the unknown and tolerate risk as well as unconventional behavior(s). Countries with low uncertainty avoidance include Canada, Australia, and U.S. Whereas high uncertainty avoidance is characterized by people who want predictable and certain futures e.g., Israel, Italy, and Japan.  

Masculinity – Femininity

A masculine culture emphasizes assertiveness and the acquisition of money or material objects. It’s also coupled by a de-emphasis on caring for others. Unsurprisingly, when compared to above cultural trends, Italy and Japan fall under the masculine identity. Femininity, however, places high importance upon personal relationships: from concern for others to high quality of life. (You guessed it! Some examples include Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.)

Time Orientation

There are two forms of time orientation: long-term and short-term. Long-term is characterized by a long perspective – you’re focused on the future. You value persistence, perseverance, saving, and being able to adapt. Conversely, short-term is when you are focused on the present or past and consider them more important than the future. Short-term is also characterized by seeing value in immediate gratification - yet importance in tradition and fulfilling social obligations.  

The examples included hereto are to demonstrate the stark differences from nation to nation. While a macro perspective, these nuances and variance among us can be just as distinct, even if two people grow up down the street from one another. Think of someone you work with whom you find yourself at odds with often. Now take these dimensions into account. What did you discover? Understanding how our counterparts view view the world is a just a piece of the communicative puzzle, but it’s a great place to start.

Concepts and terms gathered by Peter G. Northouse: Leadership Theory and Practice.