Recognizing Employees

Let's say you are a rogue manager.  For the scenario that I am about to disclose could not possibly have been condoned by this company's leadership.  Actually it was.  It is just so incredulous that I have no other way of explaining it.  And actually, I will not explain it.  The following comes directly from one of the wounded employees. 

The power of a small gesture might be hard to measure in dollars, but it will always leave an impression. Whether personal or professional, you can leave a mark by simply remembering someone’s birthday, saying hello to a stranger or sending a hand written thank you. These gestures leave a positive impression on the people you reach out to. But there are other gestures just as small and just as powerful that can leave negative impressions. Either way, positive or negative, impressions are priceless.

I recently attended a company sales meeting in which small gestures left a big impression on not only me, but fellow employees as well. I was accompanied to this two-day meeting by nine other members of my marketing team as well as over one hundred sales professionals. The focus was on the sales professionals, however our marketing team was there to complete the training along side them, further aiding to the ever-growing “team effort” concept. In addition, we participated in the training to give us ideas on developing sales and marketing material that would ultimately help the sales folks do their job.

Within the first ten minutes of our break out session the trainer managed to insult the marketing team. He talked a lot about how selling is based on trust and respect but yet he was no where close to earning mine. As soon as the trainer realized he had several marketing folks in his session he commented that he was pleased we could join because “marketing usually misses the boat” and this training should help close that gap. He also went on to say that marketing folks tend to assume when developing materials for sales professionals and “you know what happens when you assume.” Small gesture, big impact. By insulting us right from the get go, he didn’t earn marketing’s respect or trust. We didn’t buy in to the very selling techniques he was trying to sell us on.

Later that night we attended an awards dinner for the sales professionals. Marketing took the pictures of the sales professionals receiving their awards. No acknowledgment of our teams’ effort over the year, no awards or recognition for us. We just got to take the pictures….oh, and eat the crummy dinner. Small gesture, big impact.

The one part of the sales meeting I was actually looking forward too was the final session, the motivational speaker. As I found my seat in the room I thought, the training aspect might have sucked and the awards dinner wasn’t any better, but this would totally be worth it. And it was, the speaker was amazing. I was even more excited when he talked about how there were signed copies of his book for everyone. I am a networker by nature so my mind was cooking up all the ways I could connect with him and his book would be my in!

After his speech there were a few final remarks by management. And one remark in general, the papa of small gesture, big impact that is engraved in my mind: “While we do have signed books in the back, due to cost cutting, we only have enough for the sales representatives. If you’re a sales representative, please find your manager to get your book. Thank you all for coming and we’ll see you next year.” Small gesture, BIG IMPACT!

In ten seconds, a matter of 25 words or less, the marketing team was told that they were not as important as the sales representatives. And the entire room heard it. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. I was incredibly insulted and over such a silly thing like a book. But it left a huge impression on me, because my five years of blood, sweat and tears for this company was erased in those few seconds.

In our tough economic times I understand the nature of cost cutting and have experienced it first hand. My company has already issued pay raise freezes and seized 401-K matching and pension plans. So what can a company offer their employees when money is tight and downsizing or benefit adjustment is necessary? Small gestures, that’s what….a $10 book or offering a simple acknowledgment or thank you during an awards dinner. Instead, my company offered me no small gesture. I am left feeling insulted, under-appreciated, disrespected and of course, I still have the bad taste of dinner in my mouth.

I calculate that this company saved less than one-hundred dollars on this brilliant cost cutting maneuver.  I'm not sure we can calculate in dollars the crushing blow that these bright executives caused to their company's morale. 

This company is one of the world's leading brands and is very, very big.  The sad thing is they are recognized publicly for their humanitarian efforts.  This behavior transcends someone making a mistake.  It wasn't just some mis-guided rogue manager trying to make a name for himself (although he or she definitely succeeded here).  This mindset slid down the soaked hill from leadership. 

For most excellent advice on how to do the complete opposite of what this company did and take care of your employees, please read Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton's most superb book: The Carrot Principle

 

Comments

[Debra Estep]

This entire situation sounds like the addition of the marketing team to the sales group event was a poor afterthought of planning on someone’s part.

The most important factor for this marketing individual to remember is the essential ingredient it takes to become a successful marketer, creative genius. The ability it takes to look from every conceivable angle,and then to pull way back and look 1000 times more to find something
unique. That is extraordinary ~ genius. !

It’s this very genius that will keep the marketer from becoming mired along the
creek, in the quicksand of this moment. Instead looking for stepping stones in the situation, to turn it into a lesson of professional and personal value.

Moving forward in a positive way, the marketer does not allow someone’s ill planning of this – one - meeting to totally define not only their years
invested, but perhaps their very future.

"Don't let the negativity given to you by the world disempower you. Instead give to yourself that which empowers you."
(Les Brown)

Debra

[dave]

The sad part Deb, is that the inclusion of the marketing team was not an afterthought. And the marketing team was heavily involved in preparing for the event.

But man! do I love your lesson!! Such wisdom flown in on the butterfly wings of most eloquent articulation.