Team Recognition

Most of you reading this know that recognition is a huge motivator. Sometimes it means more than money, or RSUs, or bonuses. But how our teams prefer to be recognized for their hard work can be as unique as them. I have had team members who lean more introverted and would really rather not be called out in front of the whole company or a large part of the organization. Instead they would rather have that recognition be presented in a way that is personal. This doesn’t mean you can’t let everyone know, but sometimes a written communication is far more comfortable for individuals who are not energized by having the spotlight on them.

Image from Unsplash.com by Wilhelm Gunkel

One thing we do at Order, which I think is very well executed, is an anonymous nomination board. We call it “Mahalo”. In Hawaiian culture this means “an expression of gratitude.” Here we can write about anyone in the company and how they are meeting our values. If they are kicking ass, this is a great place to say so. If someone is just being an excellent neighbor or is working on something difficult and not giving up, we can tell them we appreciate it. We have a component where we can call people out who are racking up a lot of “Mahalos”, but it is done in a way that doesn’t put too much pressure on introverts and fills those extroverts (like me) with proud energy.

However you say “I see you, and what I see is wonderful, please know it’s recognized.”, make sure you do it in a way that makes the recipient feel good. Also make sure to do it often. Sometimes the difference between someone having a good week and a great week is one quick email, a sentence at the end of a 1:1, or a “Mahalo”.

How are y’all saying thank you? How do you prefer to be recognized?