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In Praise of Praise
February 11, 2010
I had a great interview last week with Susan Adams of Forbes. Check out her personal story of two very different bosses and why she knows praise matters.
Wednesday Appreciation: Vroom! Vroom!
February 10, 2010
Is it time to rework your employee recognition system? Then you’ll appreciate this tool.
In 1964, researcher Victor Vroom proposed that employees are motivated to work toward rewards that: 1) they want; and 2) they believe they have a realistic chance of obtaining. Based on this “Expectancy Theory,” Vroom suggested that when designing reward systems leaders should:
* Make a clear connection between performance and outcome.
* Develop flexible reward systems that provide a variety of potentially attractive outcomes.
* Determine what rewards the employee values.
* Ensure that employees receive appropriate training and have the ability to perform the job successfully.
Take a few moments to evaluate how well your current recognition program meets these criteria. A few critical adjustments could have employee performance going from zero to incredible in no time at all.
To the Champions
February 08, 2010
WHO DAT?
The Saints, DA’S WHO!
I was lucky enough to be at Super Bowl XLIV and it was AMAZING!. It was an unbelievable gift from a dear friend Kevin Small and I was joined by one of my best friends in the world, my co-author Adrian Gostick. It was a celebration of our two new books that will come out this year with Simon & Schuster.
Knowing the Numbers Makes All the Difference
February 04, 2010
Most often, the teams that excel are teams that understand the power of accountability. When they know the numbers they are trying to hit and can chart their progress every step of the way. Knowing the numbers makes all the difference.
Sales teams tend to very numbers driven. Accountability comes into focus at the end of every week when the numbers are totaled. The weekly numbers turn into monthly, then quarterly and…well, you get the picture. But sales teams aren’t the only ones that can use the key of accountability to excel.
Wednesday Appreciation: Facetime With The Big Cheese
February 03, 2010
For many employees, the best reward is knowing their actions are being noticed – by you and by others in senior positions.
Consider rewarding a great employee by taking her along on your next meeting with senior management. Speak about the projects the employee is working on and her contributions to your team’s success.
You’ll not only garner loyalty from your employee, but you’ll be seen as a nurturing team player by your bosses.
Dancing Management
February 02, 2010
At a conference this month in Birmingham, England I met the most interesting man. Christopher Head is a lawyer and his firm specializes in employment law in the UK. Their slogan is “Solving People Problems”. But that isn’t what makes Christopher interesting. It is that he dances. And not just any dance: the Argentine TANGO.
Here is how he explains the dance itself:
The Biggest Motivator of Employees is…
January 28, 2010
At the beginning of every year, Harvard Business Review publishes (compiled in cooperation with the World Economic Forum) a great article on the top breakthrough ideas for 2010, or the “10 fresh solutions we believe would make the world better.“ The first question asked was “What really motivates workers?“ In a survey, more than 600 managers ranked five workplace factors commonly considered significant—recognition, incentives, interpersonal support, support for making progress, and clear goals—according to their impact on employee motivation. And the winner is?
Wednesday Appreciation: Sharing The Wealth
January 27, 2010
At this airline, besides company parties, profit sharing, and employee recognition, Continental has a program where employees with perfect attendance are entered in a raffle to win a new Ford Explorer. (Talk about driving performance forward!)
Three Qualities of a Good Hire: Advice from Warren Buffet
January 26, 2010
In looking for people to hire, you should look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.—Warren Buffet
When one of the most brilliant managers and investors of all time speaks, we should listen. Aren’t was always on the lookout for great talent? I know there are times, in interviews, when I’ve been swept away by a candidate’s background, the last project they worked on and sometimes even their family reputation. Mr. Buffet reminds us that we can never forget, first and foremost, we have to have integrity in all our business dealings. He is right. Without it, nothing else matters.
If you have been a manager for any length of time, you’ve probably hired someone with qualities that impressed you enough to seal the deal. It happened to me. I found a man who had great smarts. He was known for his intellect, his high IQ and his connections within the organization. He seemed to have great energy. He was two and oh for what Warren Buffet cited as required in a good hire. It seemed to be a good fit on paper, so we gave it a shot.
Promotions: A Celebration
January 21, 2010
Have you ever been promoted and no one knew but you? What about any of your employees? There are milestones in our careers that need to be celebrated and being promoted is one of them. When it is done right, it not only motivates the person being promoted but the entire team. Don’t miss this opportunity to build excitement and you’ll motivate everyone involved…if you do it right.
We’ve all seen it done right and we’ve all seen it done wrong. Here are some ideas for a great experience:
podcast
Station Casinos Conducts a Survey to Discover Where Recognition Has the Greatest Impact
January 27, 2010
Here’s a question: Will a recognition program have a greater impact on a highly engaged team or a struggling team? I was fortunate to spend some time with Station Casino’s Valerie Murzl, Corporate VP of Human Resources and Training, to discuss her company’s efforts to implement a Carrot Culture in her casinos. Listen to this and then tell me you wouldn’t want to work at Station Casinos—I dare you!
The Coolest Pet Store in the World!
August 10, 2009
This is an interview I had with Matt Davies from the Pets At Home chain in the UK. They shoot for OUTRAGEOUS customer service and it shows!
Interview with Gladys Tillmon and Janet Baker, VPs of Learning & Development, Aflac
February 16, 2009
Have you ever wondered the difference corporate training can make? In this case, Aflac takes it to a whole new level with customized corporate training focusing on the organizational brand and strategy. Chester sat down with Janet Baker, SVP of Corporate Learning and Gladys Williams-Tillmon, Vice President of Corporate Training to learn what makes Aflac executives so anxious to promote training and how a culture of appreciation is separating them from the competition.
Interview with Ted Priestly, Men’s Head Soccer Coach, College of the Holy Cross
January 12, 2009
Chester visits with Ted Priestly, former head coach of twelve years for the UMass Lowell River Hawks. Ted explains the difference it made for his team when he picked up a copy of The Carrot Principle and started implementing individual recognition. Ted credits The Carrot Principle as being a driving force to the team’s winning season which led to his acceptance of a head coach at Holy Cross starting Fall 2009.
Interview with Dan Cunningham, Chief People Officer, New York State Office of General Services
December 07, 2008
Dan discusses why an appreciation culture is valuable in tough economic times. He discusses the importance of using appreciation to retain top performing employees. He also discusses how many people who attended the training were initially skeptical about how this could help them, then witnessed the dynamic change as they saw the value of using appreciation in their leadership roles.
Interview with Ray Blanchette, CEO of Joe’s Crab Shack
October 26, 2008
Ray Blanchette, CEO of Joe’s Crab Shack restaurants shares the secret sauce in Joe’s recipe for excellent food and customer service and his company’s focus on making Joe’s a great place to work.
Interview Susan Baranowski, VP of HR, Jones New York
October 05, 2008
Chester visits with Susan about their ongoing training efforts to implement a Carrot Culture, from the executive team’s mental shift required to bring in a recognition program, to the certification workshop at Carrot HQ in Salt Lake City to implementation leading to decreased turnover, higher engagement and increased productivity.
Interview with Tom Garrett, President and CEO, Arby’s Restaurant Group
May 18, 2008
Tom shares some innovative ideas from Arby’s appreciation practices and why they are so appreciation oriented. He also highlights some of the specific benefits he has seen from the direct link between the employees he’s serving as President and CEO and the customers that they’re caring for and they’re serving.