Introduction


A few years ago, researchers with more funding than sense conducted a survey of 10,000 people.They asked whether the person on the other end of the phone knew how to ride a bike.

Remarkably, out of a sample the size of a major Iowa town, only three people couldn’t ride. Thus, we can assume, it’s an experience we’ve all had.

How did we learn to ride our bikes? Whether we grew up in the suburbs, the urban jungle, or a real jungle, some trusted person (Mom or Dad for many of us) trudged out to the road with us. Terrified, we climbed on the bike, pedaled for a few unsteady feet, then fell off. But bless their hearts, those “trusty companions” didn’t give up. They steadied us by holding the back of our seats. At great personal discomfort, they ran alongside. And they kept praising our efforts.

“You got a little farther that time”

“Way to go, honey, you’ve almost got it.”

“Hey, I bet that won’t even need stitches”

In the end, all the praising and support finally bolstered our courage and we were ready to go it alone. Suddenly, we were riding. Without training wheels. Without anyone’s hand guiding us.

Thus, we earned the reward: we were able to ride anywhere on the block on our own.

Yes, we were free. We owned the road.

You didn’t know it at the time, but you learned your first management lesson that day. It’s a lesson that will make you a much more effective leader if you live it. The lesson is this: Great managers—

Praise Effort. Reward Results.

In other words, they use employee recognition—or carrots, as we like to call it— to motivate their work force.

Employees fed a steady diet of carrots focus better on company goals. They spot new opportunities faster. They have longer employment life spans (translation: lower turnover). And they can lift companies higher than you might have dreamed possible.

Yet for something that seems so straightforward, it’s amazing how many managers get it wrong. We could fill a Central American soccer stadium with leaders who don’t believe they need to offer any praise or rewards. These are the guys who offer such thoughtful contributions to leadership as:

“They get their recognition every two weeks in their paycheck.”

“I don’t care if they like me, as long as they respect me.”

“If they want warm and fuzzy, they can buy a puppy.”

We’ve also met a gaggle of managers who sincerely want to reward their people but just seem to get it wrong. They end up offering tangible rewards, but not for tangible results. These are the well-meaning but misguided leaders who offer rewards for effort alone.

“We didn’t quite hit our goals this quarter, but I’m going to go ahead and give you the reward anyway. After all, you worked really, really hard.”

And finally, there are the lazy cheapskates who, after their people do great things, offer at best only token verbal praise for those real results.

“Yep, we landed the big contract. Way to go everyone. Now let’s get back to work.”

If an apple a day can keep the doctor away, then A Carrot A Day can keep you away from recognition pitfalls and help you develop employees who are more focused, more committed and more engaged in your noble cause.

In this book, we offer you 365 easy-to-use recognition ideas, hints and pieces of advice. Read one a day and you will become a better leader—a manger who is able to tap the power of recognition to build a stronger workplace where people come, stay and are committed to your goals.




A Carrot a Day. A Daily Dose of Recognition for Your Employees
A Carrot a Day: A Daily Dose of Recognition for Your Employees
ISBN: 1586855069
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 371

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