The Importance of Acknowledgment

When is the last time you acknowledged a team member? 

Corporations, namely those state-side, miss the mark on acknowledgment. Unsurprisingly, this matters in management. An old-school philosophy and management tactic is to note only areas missed or errors made, foregoing the recognition of small wins and successes. Unfortunately, we’ve grown so accustomed to looking for what was done incorrectly, that we skip over all that has been done well… and this talk track and practice is then repeated as team members become managers. This approach reflects a criticism model and it’s time we phase it out. There’s undoubtedly a case to be made for acknowledgment. 

While we may associate acknowledgment with awards or moments of more notable public recognition, acknowledgment can be far less formal. In fact, the act of acknowledging can be fairly frequent. The truth is, we need to see and recognize our team members as whole people, not just people who accomplish work on our team. 

The benefits of acknowledgment include loyalty and increased team inclusion. What’s more, it’s been shown that when managers regularly acknowledge team members, the company culture takes a hit (in a good way): The act of acknowledgment encourages a ripple effect of kind discourse. When we seek to find the pieces of a job well done, we create not only more tolerance for one another, but we create a sense of belonging. 

Please do not interpret this as a call to blow smoke or ignore less-good work. Instead, this is an opportunity to change how you communicate, still with the need to be sincere and authentic. When managers make acknowledgment a regular occurrence, it’s no wonder team camaraderie follows.

The Layoff Resurgence and How to Support Your Team

Amidst broad-stroke layoffs, economic uncertainty, and organizational restructuring, it’s no wonder I am hearing a trend from clients: “I’m having a hard time focusing my team.” 

Layoffs cause insecurity and insecurity can cause a stable team to become weak; as team members feel threatened or in competition with others, trust and cohesion splinter.

As the work stress remains constant, so too does the workload. It’s not an easy pairing. What’s more, focus is already an issue: In one study it was discovered that 60.6% of employees rarely do one to two hours of deep focused work each day without distraction. With stimulation all around, the ability to focus is already a tall order. When stressors run high, distraction only increases. So, how do you realign, refocus, and reenergize your team during challenging times?

• Never underestimate the power of acknowledgment. Whether a team member expresses a favorable attitude, or a member of your workgroup completed a task efficiently, take the time to acknowledge them. (Try this today!) 

• Communicate. This seems like a no-brainer, but the elephant in the room is often overlooked. While you may not have all the answers and you will not be able to fix the problem in some cases, you can surely create a space that allows for debriefing after a challenging change has been made.

• Enable purposeful productivity by being specific. In your weekly 1:1s understand what is consuming their time. Are they getting the work done that they need to be doing? If not, you will need to offer support with prioritizing to-do lists and discuss time management (think calendar blocks for focused work). Find the challenges and aim to solve them.

As the variables continuously come our way, managers must continuously adapt and flex the muscles of a leader.

Retain Your Employees with Just Two Efforts

Photo by DDP on Unsplash

The Great Resignation was initially spoken about as women departed their places of work in 2020 (either by force or by “choice”). Over five million women were affected. In the present day, nearly two million women still have not returned to the workforce (in the United States alone). 

Interestingly, this “Great Resignation” has taken shape to classify the departure of both women and men, noting the changing landscape of work, and employees’ sentiments on what work should look like. While I do not argue there are clear trends of disengagement which have led to both men and women leaving the workforce, there is still a monumental issue of women being at the helm of COVID job losses. 

Media outlets, particularly those who cover leadership and management, have used this opportunity to talk about the importance of retention. I find it startling, and fascinating, that due to the fact this Resignation now includes men, it is being discussed further. Not just the reality of departures, but the essentiality that companies do all they can do to make people stay. Where was this same tone during the pandemic when women were mass exiting? 

Needless to say, the point remains that in order for the economy to stabilize and for companies to flourish, both men and women must remain, or return, to the workplace. But how are we intending to help people return? How are we intending to keep people content in their current positions? 

If you are familiar with my work you know I advocate for women. And, after a year researching and publishing a book on women’s experiences during COVID-19, I assure you it is women that companies need to be focused on when it comes to retention and engagement. Regardless, engagement drives performance and the best companies are composed of diverse teams, thus there are actions you can take readily to engage all company members. 

Career Transparency

Career transparency can minimize ambiguity and increase engagement. Helping employees know what’s next for them (and helping him/her create the path) is paramount. What makes this employee tick? What areas do they excel in? How does their current career path allow for their skills to shine? 

If you haven’t discussed this with your team members, it’s time. If your team member isn’t sure what it is they want in their career, your job is to help them discover. But, odds are, they have an inkling of what they want to accomplish, and have been waiting for you to ask how they can achieve their goals. 

Recognition 

Yes, something as simple as recognition can increase retention. Have you ever been in a position where a superior took an idea as his own? Or did an exceptional job on a project and was simply assigned the next? This wears on people. Managers must have integrity and shed a light on their team members’ successes, not take them as their own. Further, managers must take the time to privately and publicly recognize their team. Not only does this spark discretionary effort, but a microculture of recognition demonstrates to a company as a whole that behavior that promotes and encourages will also establish trustworthy and hardworking teams. 

Cultivate a Leadership Culture

Mimicry. We see this both in nature and in the workplace. Whether it's the viceroy butterfly attempting to look like its more attractive counterpart, the monarch (I’m partial), or if it’s the malleable mind of an employee who mimics a leader’s behaviors, we must create organizational frameworks that encourage an environment that fosters leadership. 

What steps can organizations take to mold future leaders and help individuals reach their full potential? 

Mentorship. 

Formalized mentor programs are implemented to help people evolve. Whether a person is a new or tenured employee, the act of mentorship is invaluable. Mentors can shed light into life experiences: missed opportunities, successes, behavioral shortcomings, moments of strength… The list goes on. Organizations have an opportunity to help employees advance in more ways than one when a flexible but scalable mentor program is put into place.

[But here’s the thing -- if there isn’t a mentor program, that should not stop you from seeking out a mentor. Notably to my female audience, do not be afraid to ask for time from someone you respect. Observe the people you want to mirror and ask yourself why. Request time with this person.] 

Acknowledgment. 

I mention acknowledgment more than I do not. Why? It’s a powerful way to establish relational trust and respect. Furthermore, it increases discretionary effort (who doesn’t want to work harder for someone they respect and appreciate?). If you find yourself in a work environment without acknowledgment, the organization is missing the mark. Herein lies an opportunity: It can start with you. Acknowledge your colleagues, your direct reports, and even your boss. A contagion of acknowledgment can change workplace cultures into supportive, accountable ones.  

Consistency. 

Can your colleagues count on you? In an organization where leaders are notoriously late for meetings, cut off counterparts to take calls, and interrupt repeatedly to hear their own voice, there is little hope for the next class. Consistency is a double-edged sword. Do you want to be consistent? Craft what you want it to mean for yourself. To me, being consistent means many things. That I deliver work in a timely way, done with thought, effort, and a scrutinizing eye. But it also means being a confidant, and a voice of reason. It means providing emotional regularity, and being truthful about distractions. The truth is, consistency simply defines a repeatable pattern. This is why it is essential to craft what consistency means within your organization. Consistent leaders can encourage collaboration, trust, and accountability. 

We absorb tendencies from people we are around the most. And there’s no spoiler here, we spend a lot of time at work - at least 10 continuous years of our life. Great place to pick up habits, but it’s an even better place to practice habits, and teach others those habits. 

Foster leadership by being a mentor, by acknowledging others, and by consistently leading by example. If you want your organizations to foster an environment of leadership, it starts with you. 

First published on LinkedIn.