Taking recognition to the next level

FigureAs a leader, have you ever thought about which behaviors and actions you like and dislike in your employees? Maybe not intentionally, but I bet that many of you have rolled your eyes or sighed at the behaviors and actions that you don't appreciate and smiled at those you do. Are you seeing a lot of noteworthy behaviors and actions on your unit or in your area of responsibility? Are you rewarding them? In her book, Feel the Pull: Creating a Culture of Nursing Excellence, Gen Guanci states that the manager who simply recognizes "the behavior they want, when they see it, is highly effective."1 Nurse leaders who have effective recognition habits engage effective nursing staff. Nurse leaders should be attentive and note the positive behaviors and actions that occur on their unit and within the organization. Staff members who promote and demonstrate the behaviors that you value need to be recognized. As you walk throughout your organization, participate in meetings, and interact with individuals, look and listen for the words and actions that reflect positively on your unit and on the nursing profession and acknowledge them with appropriate and timely recognition. Reinforcing these behaviors and actions in your area of responsibility and around your organization promotes a culture of positivity and professionalism.2 Relationships first Start by getting to know your staff. Spend time with them and encourage them to share their likes, dislikes, dreams, career goals, what inspired them to be a nurse, what drew them to your area, and so on. You should know if your staff members have a significant other and/or children. What are their hobbies? What motivates them to come to work every day? It may be money, it may be the patients, or it may be an opportunity to interact with other adults. Only knowing a couple of quick facts about your staff isn't enough; leaders need to build relationships and show genuine interest in their team members. This demonstrates that you value and appreciate them enough to take the time to get to know them on a personal level. Be sure to discern if your staff member likes to be recognized privately or publicly. Gratitude that's given in a group could be embarrassing for a staff member and make them uncomfortable. It can also lead to animosity among staff members if one individual is continually recognized and others aren't. Be mindful of the different personality types on your unit before you publicly recognize someone. Introverts are most comfortable "interacting in small groups and with one-on-one relationships."3 Extroverts are sociable, assertive, and joyful, and "enjoy being the center of attention."3 Each should be recognized differently. Devoting time to building relationships with your staff increases your knowledge and helps you make the recognition appropriate for the individual. A personal touch Making the recognition individualized shows thoughtfulness and compassion. How many coffee shop gift cards are you giving to a staff member who doesn't drink coffee? It's a nice gesture; however, if they don't drink coffee, they're likely wondering what you expect them to do with the gift card and grumbling to their coworkers about how you don't even know them. I'd also encourage you to take that gift card moment a step further. It's not personable enough to just hand a gift card to an employee and say "thank you." Take the time to pick out a thank-you card, write a sincere note of gratitude, and place the gift card in the envelope. Let's talk more about thank-you cards. Are you choosing basic white cards with the words "thank you" printed across the front that come in a box of 100? Or are you using cards that have the company logo on the front? Stop being boring and cold! The card is just as important as the message.4 Choose a thank-you card that fits the person and the recognition you're giving. For your staff member who loves dogs, find a card with dogs on the front, and give the staff member who loves to garden a card with flowers on it. This may mean that you have to buy more cards in additional styles, but it won't go unnoticed by the person receiving the card.4 A heartfelt message Now you may be thinking to yourself: "Thank-you cards? Really?" You may prefer to send emails or write on the back of a gift card or simply buy someone lunch in the cafeteria as a gesture of recognition. These acts of appreciation and kindness are fine, too. I encourage you to make them as heartfelt as the handwritten note. Be sincere in your email. If you want to take it to the next level, type it up, print it off, and hand deliver it. Tell the individual that you didn't want to just send another email. If you're buying lunch or a coffee for someone, ask to do so before jumping in and paying. Let them know that as a token of appreciation for the wonderful thing they did for you, a staff member, or a patient, you'd like to buy them lunch or coffee, and ask them if that would be okay. Asking for permission in this way shows respect for the individual and explains the meaning behind the act of recognition.5 What are the right words to express your appreciation? How do you say "thank you"? Be sincere and specific. Start with how the behavior or act made you feel–grateful, appreciative, wonderful, pleased, surprised, and so on. Next, thank individuals for the specific behavior or act. Mention the patient, family, the event, or other pertinent details. Then, describe the impact of their behavior or act; for example, the department looked neater, the patient felt better, or the mood on the unit was positive. Finally, grammar counts. Be sure to write in full sentences and check your spelling. A poorly expressed thank-you can leave a bad impression.5 Keeping and sharing messages And what would you like individuals to do with these heartfelt thank-you notes? I recommend that everyone have a "You Are GREAT!" folder. Each time an individual receives a thank-you, they should place it in their folder. You could even have a department or unit folder to hold all of the patient and family thank-you notes. Order some plain file folders, markers, stickers, or other craft items and let staff members decorate their own folders, or give them meaningful folders as a gift. These folders give your team members the opportunity to reflect on the great work they've done and those who have appreciated them. They can read and share the notes that they've received to uplift and encourage themselves and each other. Designate time for individuals to share at huddles or staff meetings if they're willing to. Again, taking time to acknowledge the behaviors and actions you want to see as a leader reinforces them and creates a culture of nursing excellence. A daily dose of kudos Recognition for a job well done and positive behaviors makes an individual feel respected and treasured. It also provides your team members with positive motivation to continue to do an excellent job and be present in all the work they do. I had a leader who taught me to not let the sun go down without saying "thank you." I encourage you to be the leader who gives thoughtful and immediate recognition before the sun sets each day.