The Manager's Pocket Guide to Leadership Skills

Meaningful Recognition

Feeling appreciated and recognized are two of the most powerful motivators available to the supervisor. The question then becomes, “What is meaningful recognition?” Recognition is meaningful when tailored to the individual being praised. Instead of the usual “grip and grin” so many managers employ to thank someone for the job they have done, the manager should tap into the uniqueness the individual brings to the job.

One way to explain this uniqueness is to look at a painting an artist creates. This painting is a unique contribution, in many ways a gift that the artist is giving to society. If the artist is good enough, the painting might even have a commodity value.

Lewis Hyde, a poet and essayist, describes this concept ...