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Leadership Skill: Low/No Cost Rewards
By admin | January 27, 2007
Few effective team leaders have a laundry basket of financial favors to hand out to deserving team members. But there are still lots of no-cost or low-cost ways to keep team members involved and in the mood to perform:
1. Establish a prize.
Establish a quarterly “most valuable team member” award that teams themselves vote on. Or a “biggest improvement” or “best team spirit.”
2. Get ‘em involved.
People who have an impact on reaching goals appreciate being part of forming those goals.
3. Power to the people.
What better way to spur productivity than to give proven achievers authority to spend a few bucks to increase sales, please customers, or improve critical processes?
4. Not rich, but famous.
Establish a “Hall of Fame” in your unit or department - a gallery of pictures, trophies, and plaques with an emphasis on winning teams as well as winning individuals.
5. Praise in print.
If you have access to internal publications - newsletters, magazines, tabloids - get word of your people’s performance to the editors.
6. If they had a hammer.
Everyone’s dying for a faster laptop, cell phone, or wireless e-mail. See that your top producers have access to your best tools.
7. Meet the boss.
Getting a chance to hobnob with the group VP or even the CEO is a big deal, and shows you care about your people’s career tracks.
8. Share the spotlight.
A pat on the back means more when it occurs in plain view of coworkers. But be careful your reward ceremonies don’t divide workers into winners and losers, or over-stress individual achievement.
9. Privy privies.
Everyone likes perks - admission to the executive washroom, dining room, or gym; a parking place close to the building entrance; a direct phone line, bypassing the switchboard.
10. Free lunch.
Many companies purchase annual tickets to sports events, concerts, and other events, and many take travel, entertainment, and other goods and services as trade-outs. Why not share them with the people who make your unit a success?
11. Stock options.
If your company isn’t up to a companywide stock purchase plan, consider a smaller-scale plan as a reward that binds your winners even closer to the company’s fortunes.
12. Lavish them with attention.
Years ago, the famous Hawthorne experiments showed t hat people show more interest in their work when management shows interest in them. Paint the office, move things around, invite juggling clowns for lunch - anything to break the monotony and show that you care.
13. Show ‘em you care.
A good team works like a family, and is fueled by respect and even affection. Let performers know their contributions are appreciated by you, personally. Look them in the eye and tell them that. It beats dinner for two at the Pump & Munch, hands down.
Topics: Leadership Skill |