| "I have yet to find the man, however exalted his | | | | Show Approval Immediately |
| station, who did not do better work and put forth | | | | When you see good job performance, or improved |
| greater effort under a spirit of approval than under a | | | | job performance, make a point of saying something |
| spirit of criticism." - Charles M. Schwab | | | | to the employee at that moment. Constantly keep |
| From Diet Books to Performance Management | | | | an eye out for positive behavior from employees |
| I am convinced that if you want to write a | | | | that you have criticized in the past. People work |
| bestselling book, you just have to put the word | | | | harder when you recognize their improved efforts. |
| "diet" somewhere in the title. Similarly, if you want to | | | | Never let too much time pass before you praise an |
| write a best seller in the business world, be certain to | | | | employee's performance. If you do, your employee |
| use the words "leadership" or "team." Much like | | | | may think you have failed to notice their good |
| dieters searching for that perfect system that will let | | | | performance and it will soon drift back down to the |
| them eat anything they want and still lose weight, | | | | minimum standard. |
| many managers are searching for an easy way to | | | | Praise Specific Behaviors Not General Behaviors |
| improve employee performance and productivity | | | | A behavior is something that a camera can see or a |
| without having to change their own management | | | | tape recorder can hear. It is not attitude, mood, or |
| behavior. On some level, we all know that any | | | | desire. Focus on observable results. Instead of saying, |
| successful weight loss program that succeeds | | | | "Great job on that sales campaign Sally!" say, "Sally, |
| operates on just two basic principles: eat less and | | | | you did a great job on the sales campaign. I saw you |
| exercise more. In business, the best ways to | | | | increased your sales 125 over last quarter and you |
| increase job performance, create high functioning | | | | landed 3 new accounts each worth over $10,000.00. |
| teams, and improve employee satisfaction are still | | | | That is outstanding job performance and we are |
| positive reinforcement, praise, and recognition. | | | | lucky to have employees like you!" This feedback |
| Why a Good Salary Is Not Good Enough to Produce | | | | tells Sally exactly what behaviors she did right and |
| the Best Results | | | | also what behaviors you are looking for in the future |
| Managers often ask, "Why should I have to praise | | | | that you consider to be "outstanding performance." |
| and reinforce someone for a job I am already paying | | | | Use a 4 to 1 Ratio of Praise to Criticism |
| them to do?" Unfortunately, the work activity that | | | | This means that for every one time you criticize an |
| has the highest correlation to paying someone a | | | | employee's behavior, you should find four positive |
| salary is not job performance - it's attendance. Put | | | | behaviors to praise and reinforce. This is based on |
| simply, if you pay people, they will show up for work | | | | sound research that shows that criticism has much |
| because they know if they don't then they will not | | | | more impact on someone's functioning than praise. If |
| get paid. For many workers, salary alone produces | | | | negative comments are not balanced by more |
| only average job performance, not high job | | | | positive comments your employees will simply learn |
| performance. A recent employment survey found | | | | to ignore your negative comments by saying to |
| only about 25% of workers reported that they were | | | | themself, "Oh she is always criticizing me about |
| working up to their full capacity. Almost half admitted | | | | something so why should today be any different." |
| that they only did the minimum required and held | | | | But, when criticism is mixed with praise in this 4:1 |
| back any extra effort. It's clear that good wages are | | | | ratio, employees will actually be much more receptive |
| important to attract employees, but they have very | | | | to your negative feedback and more likely to change |
| little impact on job performance or productivity. | | | | their behavior because they know that they are |
| The Right and Wrong Way to Use Praise and | | | | valued and appreciated. |
| Positive Reinforcement | | | | Incentives Should be Tied to Individual Performance |
| Far too many managers think an occasional | | | | The problem with big incentive rewards like |
| "at-a-boy" is all they need to know about behavior | | | | Salesperson of the Month is that the same few high |
| management. Unfortunately, these same managers | | | | performing employees tend to win them. Many |
| tend to focus so much on solving problems and fixing | | | | average performing employees feel like, "Forget it! |
| mistakes that often they create a punishment model | | | | Bob always wins that Hawaii trip, so why bother?" By |
| of management where bad behavior gets | | | | using prizes that everyone can win and tying them to |
| consistently punished and good behavior gets | | | | individual performance you create a powerful |
| consistently ignored. This management style focuses | | | | incentive for all employees. This point is best |
| solely on employee weakness and error and tends to | | | | illustrated with Mary Kay's Pink Cadillac lease program |
| lower employee performance and creates a negative | | | | for top sales leaders. Any sales person who reaches |
| relationship between managers and employees.Of | | | | a certain level of sales is awarded a leased car as a |
| course, problems must be addressed, but supervisors | | | | prize. In 1988 Mary Kay awarded over 500 cars, and |
| and managers that seek high performance must shift | | | | by 2000 that number had risen to over 9000. There |
| far more attention to noticing positive employee | | | | is no limit to how many sales people can win the |
| behavior and learn to develop a set of skills to | | | | prize and every time a sales leader wins a car, they |
| consistently reinforce and strengthen it when it | | | | feel motivated, valued, and appreciated -- and Mary |
| occurs. | | | | Kay gets a little bit richer. |