Recognizing Contributions
I have small children, so manners are a regular topic of conversation in my home. While they rarely need reminding to say “please� (likely because I don’t respond to their requests unless I hear the magic word), “thank you’s� take some prompting. Still, when those two words are expressed with real meaning, the impact is amazing. When someone genuinely recognizes your contribution, you want to contribute again. Gratitude is a simple, but powerful force.
Kouzes and Posner state that a simple gesture of gratitude helps sustain high performance and that random acts are actually more valued and compelling than formalized moments of recognition like raises. They break down the process of recognizing contributions into two pieces, expecting the best from people and personalizing acts of gratitude. Far beyond simply telling people they need to thank their employees or coworkers, Kouzes and Posner’s recommendation is strong and comprehensive. Recognition is inherent in all activity and not simply an act that follows the end of a project or moment of success. If you anticipate that you will one day thank a person for doing something, that person will be more likely to fulfill the expectation which earns recognition and in turn compels them to perform again. The cycle of performance and recognition continues infinitely, sustaining progress and success.
According to the authors and several of the interviewees, this embedded system of recognition also helps build the work community and infuse a positive energy into the workplace. This concept harkens back to Allen and Cherrey’s “beneficial virus� and even farther back to Sophocles who said “kindness gives birth to kindness.� Gratitude and recognition are perhaps the simplest acts of kindness that have the potential to transform life at the personal, organizational, and societal levels.
Understanding the expansive power that gratitude and recognition can have, I was disappointed that Kouzes and Posner didn’t expound more on the possible impacts. Like the book in general, the focus is on the internal workings of an organization. For this chapter, I would have liked at the very least to have read about how an organization that embraces this concept affects the broader community. Do people prefer to do business with this type of organization? Do the employees take this attitude home? Kouzes and Posner do an impressive job of articulating the core values and behaviors of good leaders, but their examples of the application of leadership are dissatisfyingly limited, especially in the context of this course, which addresses the full spectrum of leadership opportunities.
I began this reflection by talking about raising children with good manners, but it’s really a life long learning process. We all need to be reminded to be gracious sometimes. Have you recognized everyone who contributed to your day? Is there anyone you’re taking for granted? Can you remember the last time you felt like you were taken for granted? What about your favorite moment of recognition?
Comments
Hi Janelle.
I was not able to access the full text of your posting. When I clicked on 'continue reading this entry' it brought up the beginning of a paragraph in a different font, but not the entire text.
Could you please repost?
Thanks,
Claudia
Posted by: Claudia Beermann | March 30, 2008 03:24 PM
Sorry, this happened last time I posted a reflection, as well. Trying the remainder again....
Kouzes and Posner state that a simple gesture of gratitude helps sustain high performance and that random acts are actually more valued and compelling than formalized moments of recognition like raises. They break down the process of recognizing contributions into two pieces, expecting the best from people and personalizing acts of gratitude. Far beyond simply telling people they need to thank their employees or coworkers, Kouzes and Posner’s recommendation is strong and comprehensive. Recognition is inherent in all activity and not simply an act that follows the end of a project or moment of success. If you anticipate that you will one day thank a person for doing something, that person will be more likely to fulfill the expectation which earns recognition and in turn compels them to perform again. The cycle of performance and recognition continues infinitely, sustaining progress and success.
According to the authors and several of the interviewees, this embedded system of recognition also helps build the work community and infuse a positive energy into the workplace. This concept harkens back to Allen and Cherrey’s “beneficial virus� and even farther back to Sophocles who said “kindness gives birth to kindness.� Gratitude and recognition are perhaps the simplest acts of kindness that have the potential to transform life at the personal, organizational, and societal levels.
Understanding the expansive power that gratitude and recognition can have, I was disappointed that Kouzes and Posner didn’t expound more on the possible impacts. Like the book in general, the focus is on the internal workings of an organization. For this chapter, I would have liked at the very least to have read about how an organization that embraces this concept affects the broader community. Do people prefer to do business with this type of organization? Do the employees take this attitude home? Kouzes and Posner do an impressive job of articulating the core values and behaviors of good leaders, but their examples of the application of leadership are dissatisfyingly limited, especially in the context of this course, which addresses the full spectrum of leadership opportunities.
I began this reflection by talking about raising children with good manners, but it’s really a life long learning process. We all need to be reminded to be gracious sometimes. Have you recognized everyone who contributed to your day? Is there anyone you’re taking for granted? Can you remember the last time you felt like you were taken for granted? What about your favorite moment of recognition?
Posted by: Janelle | March 30, 2008 07:03 PM