Let us begin by getting a good understanding of what recognition really is.

The Merriam Webster dictionary simply defines recognition as: special notice or attention.

Well that seems pretty straight forward.

“There are two things people want more than sex and money — recognition and praise.” –Mary Kay Ash

Let us examine the top 10 reasons why employers don’t give recognition to their employees and offer some recommendations.

1. “Some Employers do not know how.”

Recommendation: If you don’t know how to do something, learn or find someone to teach you. I’m sure that you would not allow your employees to use this excuse for not getting their work done.

I did a quick search on Google and came across a number of companies that specialize in employee recognition programs.

2. “Some Employers believe they don’t have time.”

Recommendation: Find the time. This is a pretty lame excuse for not offering special notice to employees that deserve it. Perhaps schedule a special time on a weekly or monthly basis to offer this recognition.

3. “It is believed by some employers that employees don’t care about it that much.”

Recommendation: WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! Ask yourself one question, “Do you like it when someone expresses appreciation for something that you have done?” Of course you do.

4. “Some Employers don’t believe that recognition is part of the job.”

Recommendation: As an employer, you are responsible for the overall productivity of your company. Let me ask you this question, “What type of environment would you perform better in, one that ignores your efforts or one that rewards your efforts?” I rest my case.

5. “Some Employers don’t believe in rewarding employees for just doing their job.”

Recommendation: OK, I understand where you are coming from; however, let us take a look at this from a different angle. What if you implemented a recognition program for your employees? Do you thing that the overall productivity level of your employees would increase or decrease?

6. “Some Employers believe that recognition becomes meaningless if done too much.”

Recommendation: I believe that a company should have a recognition program that all employees are not only aware of, but eligible to participate. What I mean by this is some companies have a recognition program, but it is only for their sales staff. I am talking about a program that encompasses every possible employee.

Now, this program will have a stated frequency that is dictated by you. If you control the frequency, then you probably won’t feel that it is being done too much.

7. “Some Employers believe that they are limited in what kind of recognition they can do.”

Recommendation: This is totally understandable as well. However, the last time I checked, saying “Thank You” was still free.

Gift cards are an awesome and reasonably priced method of recognition.

8. “Some Employers believe that sometimes recognition is awkward or uncomfortable.”

Recommendation: Recognition can be done either publicly or privately. Remember, the people receiving the recognition will not necessarily feel awkward or uncomfortable. Start with something that is within your comfort zone and then expand as you get more comfortable. The important thing is to start your recognition program.

9. “Some Employers believe that employees that get recognition will stop working hard, because they have reached a certain recognition level.”

Recommendation: If you have children, you know that this belief does not hold any truth. The more you praise a child, the more he/she wants that attention.

Remember the old adage: Recognition is what babies cry for and men die for.

10. “Some Employers don’t believe that they should give recognition to employees if they don’t get recognition themselves.”

Recommendation: You need to take your eyes off yourself and put them on others. This is not about you. The more that you focus on other people the more they will grow and perhaps someone will recognize you along the way.
Remember, saying “thank you” is free and a great place to start a recognition program for your employees.

Most employees around the world don’t realize it, but the most critical factor of their succeeding in business and in life is their ability to get along well with other people. It does not matter what your education level is, or the experience you have in your chosen field of expertise, it doesn’t even matter how much you are getting paid right now. Unless you’ve developed your skills with people, you’re not going to achieve very much in business or in life.

“The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.” – Theodore Roosevelt, the twenty-sixth President of the United States.

“No institution can possibly survive if it needs geniuses or supermen to manage it. It must be organized in such a way as to be able to get along under a leadership composed of average human beings.” – Peter F. Drucker, widely considered to be the father of “modern management.”

Here is the global economic landscape: No two people are the same, every person is different. Each and every employee has a different objective, a different temperament, a different attitude, and a different viewpoint. It goes without saying that a lot of times our differences can lead to conflict when we try to work together. Conflict can show up in a lot of ways, such as:

* Tension
* Fear
* Anger
* Lack of appreciation
* Rejection
* Insecurity

Conflict can be found everywhere. The critical difference is how you handle conflict and especially how you handle another employee in the midst of conflict.

Conflicts aren’t just between employees. We’ve got conflicts inside ourselves. We’ve all got needs and desires that compete with each other. We struggle with our own feelings about our background, our inadequacies, our fears, our missed opportunities, our past mistakes.

Somehow we’ve got to develop an understanding of what goes on inside ourselves and other employees around us. We need to know how and why an employee gets discouraged and, just as important, how they get motivated and stay motivated to accomplish great things. We need to know how employees, including ourselves, work.

“The capacity for getting along with our neighbor depends to a large extent on the capacity for getting along with ourselves. The self-respecting individual will try to be as tolerant of his neighbor’s shortcomings as he is of his own.” – Eric Hoffer, an American social writer and philosopher.

Just beware of one thing. Don’t ever try to develop people skills so you can get your way with another employee. Instead, develop people skills in order to help other employees and grow yourself as an individual.

Tip on how to get along with others: As an employee, the first thing that you need to do is like yourself. Once you understand the following:

* Who you are
* Why you have become the way you are
* Why you behave in a certain way

Then you are in a position to learn to like and accept others. When you are aware that you can change some of your attitudes while you may have to accept some others, you can relate to other people’s behavior and personality.

As you become skilled in dealing with employees, you’ll discover that getting along with another employee doesn’t always mean giving employees what they want.

There are times you’ll deal with employees who’ll try to force you into a negative position and even take advantage of you if they can. People skills involve not only building positive, strong relationships, but also being firm when you need to be firm.

We’ve got to understand when to be firm and when to be gentle with an employee. Wisdom lies in knowing the difference. And we need skills in both directions.

It’s absolutely essential that we learn to get along well with other employees. More opportunities are lost because relationships fail than for any other reason. It’s not failures in technical skill or knowledge that most often destroy projects. Most of the time it’s a failure to get along with another employee; coworkers, supervisors, etc…

That’s why companies all over the world are pouring time and money into training their employees in personal development; getting along well with other employees. If this investment pays off for corporations, think how valuable it could be for each one of us as individuals.

Recommendation: Don’t leave the responsibility of learning people skills up to the company you work for, invest in yourself. Chances are you will not be with the same company in the future.

As a salesperson, I too have feelings. If you’re my customer (decision maker), I respectfully ask you – how do you treat salespeople?

If you are interested in knowing, here is how I would like to be treated as a salesperson.

1. Please return my phone call. You would want your call returned, right? Please take 2 minutes of your time and return my call.

2. When I ask for the sale, please give it to me. I know this is a fantasy request, but I thought I would throw it in for a good laugh.

3. Please take my call if you’re in. If you are one that screens calls, please don’t screen me out. I called a customer the other day and surprise, she answer the phone herself. When I asked her why she wasn’t screening any calls, she said, “I do not want to miss any opportunities.” I am willing to bet with that type of attitude, she misses very few opportunities.

4. Please make a decision now. You and I both know that you know the answer. Please just tell me.

5. Please do not have your administrative assistant say you don’t see anyone without an appointment. At least have them contact you and let you make the decision whether or not you wish to see me.

6. Please show up for our appointment. It is just common courtesy. It is an opportunity for you to show me how dependable you are and wish for me to be.

7. Please tell me the truth. It is not right to string me along, so please be truthful. Besides that is what you are asking of me.

8. Please be on time for your appointment. I have a busy schedule as well. Please do not make me wait. Please be as timely as you would want me to be.

9. Please tell me if you are not the decision maker, or if you need to someone else’s approval. Please don’t waist both of our times. I may like you, but I need to talk to the decision makers in person.

10. If others are involved in the final decision, allow me to be in attendance. It is important for me to be able to effectively and accurately answer any questions about my product/service that may arise.

11. Please critique my presentation. If you think that I am doing a good job, please tell me. If you think that I am doing a poor job, please also tell me. The feedback is crucial to helping me serve you better.

12. Please show me respect. As much as a sale is nice to have, it is even more important to have someone’s respect. Please show me common courtesy; it will enhance the relationship that I am attempting to create.

13. When we meet, please be present. Please do not take calls, check email, voice mail, etc… If it is critical, explain this to me and I will understand. Perhaps it will require the meeting to be rescheduled. My schedule is as important as yours. Too me at least.

14. Please let us play no games during the sales process. Please be straight forward with me if you want a long-term relationship, like I do.

15. Please let me know your real objection. If you do, it will help the process and shorten the sales cycle, making us both productive. Please the truth will not hurt my feelings.

16. Please, if money is the issue, tell me upfront. By telling me that money is the issue, it allows me to present other payment alternatives to you that may be beneficial.

17. Please walk your talk. If you tell me you will make a decision by next Tuesday, please do. If you ask me to call you on Thursday, please check your schedule to ensure that you will be in the office to take my call. Please it is common courtesy. Please do what you say. I don’t think that is too much to ask? Is it?

18. Please do not use budgetary restrictions as an excuse. If you don’t have the money in your budget, tell me upfront. If you are not interested in my product or service now or in the future, please also tell me. It won’t hurt my feelings. It will save a lot of time.

19. Please don’t tell me that you want to think about it. I hate that. Please tell me the real objection, so that we can cover it off effectively. Please admit that you have already decided.

Dear Decision Maker,

Yes you, the one who has no time for, are rude to and won’t return any calls to salespeople. I respectfully ask you this:
Does your organization have salespeople?

Are you treating salespeople the same way you want your salespeople treated during the sales process?

Please think about it the next time you choose not to return a phone call from a salesperson.

The sales process would be so simple if decision makers adopted the “International Sales Golden Rule.”

The International Sales Golden Rule

Do unto salespeople as you would have decision makers do unto your salespeople.

Respectfully,

Kevin D. McNabb