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 when he states, “It is the cardinal difference between the gift and commodity exchange that a gift establishes a feeling-bond between two people, while the sale of a commodity leaves no connection.”

If we only value and recognize the commodity side of our relationship with employees—the dollars we pay them—then we are undervaluing the uniqueness and gifted nature they bring to their jobs. Human work is not just a commodity. If we feel we are just a commodity and that anyone qualified could do our job, we begin to lose our motivation.

Our motivation intensifies when we, and others, recognize the gifted nature of our work. Try to value the uniqueness of each employee, recognizing that his or her work is a gift. Every employee has different strengths we need to recognize. We cannot forget that motivation is a feeling. Recognizing people’s unique strengths helps tap into that feeling.