The Importance of Using Rewards and Recognition To Lead
Many large companies today spend excessive amounts of money trying to make their employees more productive. However, investing money in the productivity of your employees is useless if the leaders do not understand how to recognize and reward those who are under them.
In addition to money, most people love receiving large amounts of praise and recognition for their accomplishments. A good leader will make his followers feel important. They will seek to create environments where their followers are rewarded for their hard work and success. While the concept of rewards and recognition is not new, it is an indispensable tool for leaders who want to succeed.
To be a great leader, you will need to inspire your followers. They should understand your principles and goals, and should be willing to follow them. You must build a strong bond with them, and the best leaders are those who will inpsire their followers to do more than they thought they were capable of. When you are a good leader, those that will follow you will be capable of achieving virtually anything. However, this will not happen if you do not make them feel valuable. It should be easy to see that monetary rewards are not enough. Many large companies spend millions of dollars each year trying to make their employees more productive, and many of these same companies have high employment turn over rates.
The reason for this is because it is not enough to simply throw money at a problem in order to solve it. There is something more tangible that must be done. The first thing a good leader will want to do is pay attention to those that follow them. You will want to start by doing something as simple as greeting your employees when they come to work. Ask them how they feel. While this may sound like common sense, it is a good way to begin building a strong relationship, because it shows that you care about the well being of those beneath you.
It is always important to listen to what your followers have to say. Even if you are a talented leader, it is important to remember that you are not omnipotent. Your followers may have thoughts and opinions that can be valuable for your organization and beliefs. A failure to listen to employees is one of the primary reasons why many businesses fail. If you fail to communicate, you will fail to succeed. A leader can’t lead if they don’t have someone to follow them. Listen to your followers and give them your full attention. It is also important for you to use positive language when speaking to those that follow you. Thank them for work they’ve done, and make it clear that you could not have succeeded without their help.
When you speak to them in a language like this, it conveys a message to them that they are valuable. They will feel important, and will want to work hard to help you succeed. They will understand that your success is connect to their own success. But it isn’t just enough to tell them how much you appreciate your work. You will want to show it. How do you do this? One way you can accomplish this is by writing it down. Giving a "thank you" card to your employee will make them feel valued. It is also important to make sure you fulfill any promises you make.
For example, never schedule a meeting with an employee that you are not able to attend. If you promise to give an employee a pay raise, make sure it is done. Failing to make promises will show that you are a weak leader who does not stick to your commitments. If you don’t stick to your commitments, how can you expect your followers to stick to theirs? The only time you should not be able to fulfill a promise is a situation where you are physically or mentally incapable of doing it. Other than that, you should always fulfill your promises. When you reward your followers, you will create a positive domino effect. Other employees will witness the reward, and will naturally want the recognition for themselves. This will give them an incentive to work harder, which will benefit you and your organization.
