| Develop a Culture of Appreciation
In business, one of the most powerful rewards to influence behavior is showing appreciation. A culture of appreciation nurtures these influences and touches our most basic human needs. Psychologist Robert Cialdini has researched influence extensively and has developed principled ways of influencing with integrity. Two of these ways are highlighted in a culture of appreciation: the power of virtuous cycles and the power of being liked.
An environment where people are accepted for who they are and recognized for making a meaningful contribution to worthwhile goals fosters cooperation and productivity. All things being equal, an appreciative work culture is more productive, harmonious and successful. Giving purpose to work through appreciation is one of the easiest ways to engage employees with integrity.
First, let’s understand what a culture of appreciation looks like. We are not talking about material rewards for work outcomes. We are talking about showing gratitude and thankfulness to employees for being who they are and making meaningful contributions.
 It starts with a nurturing supportive network. Organizations and leaders should be continuously on the lookout to share success stories and the credit for making them happen. A supportive network is filled with people who see success as most likely to be permanent, pervasive and personal, while failure is viewed as a temporary setback and an opportunity to learn.
The world of sports provides powerful examples of this. After a successful play, game or season teams come together to high-five and share praise and credit. A sports team that didn’t do this would look unusual. Unfortunately in the workplace it is not so unusual.
There are many workplaces where achievement is rarely noted. Whenever we hear managers who want to avoid recognition in the workplace (often because they say they don’t want to reward employees for just doing their work), we know it will be difficult to raise the bar on performance or make any serious changes stick.
For the senior executive, taking a moment to share stories of progress and how it is impacting performance can foster a culture of appreciation. Clear goals, visible measurements and alignment with the corporate objectives are essential. Equally important is encouraging staff to do the same with each other, their clients and their suppliers.
Appreciation and recognition look different to different people depending on their culture, backgrounds and individual differences. It’s important to shape the recognition to fit the individuals.
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