Twenty years of research and innumerable case studies show that recognition done right can bring huge results. But now and then, even the best intentions can go awry. I’ve heard from a few of you recently on the dumbest awards you’ve ever received. They fall into three categories:
Dumb Idea: Awards should be aligned to what matters most in your organization and should recognize great work. However, some awards just miss the mark. A classic wrong move is the “most improved” award, a staple in schools. One fellow said he was named his high school football team’s most-improved defensive lineman, “I basically took it as, ‘you sucked, but now you are slightly better. Congrats.’” A woman admitted she was the recipient of her class’ most-improved writer award. She said, “I had no idea I needed improvement. I thought I was really good at writing. Little did I know.”
Dumb Item: Next, an award’s value should be commensurate with an achievement, unlike this example: Kathe Farris began working for a bank near the bottom of the corporate ladder, answering phones. During a promotion to cross-sell mutual funds, she was able to bring a whopping $1.2 million into the bank. “So what did they give me?” asked Kathe. “A mug. Do you think I—or anyone who worked around me—ever sold mutual funds again? Of course not.”
Dumb Presentation: At a trucking company that shall remain nameless to protect the guilty, Paul was the employee of the year and won the Chairman’s Award. He was to receive a solid gold Presidential Rolex watch. And while you might be thinking that nothing could mess that up, you’d be wrong. The award was presented not by the chairman or Paul’s boss, but was dropped off by UPS. And to make matters even worse, after opening the box, Paul noticed an envelope. It was a 1099 form stating that the company had not paid the taxes on the watch and Paul – their number one employee – owed more than $5,000 in income taxes. A few months later, Paul tendered his resignation.
A sincere, strategic show of public appreciation could have made these people feel great. And yet dumb ideas, items or presentations leave your most valuable employees feeling slighted. Let’s all commit to staying out of the dumb award trifecta.
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