How Your Station Can Tap Into the Incredible Power of Recognition

Thanksgiving seems like the perfect time for the recognition of others and to share a reciprocal “thank you.”

In this case, the thanks goes to Lamar Outdoor. They gifted Cat Country 98-7 Pensacola (WYCT) multiple billboards congratulating the station on its most recent CMA Station of the Year award.

For sure Cat Country is a pretty good Lamar client. Still, it was a huge honor to be so publicly (and unexpectedly) recognized by a “peer.”

Recognition – especially the public kind – is no small thing

It’s no secret that recognition for a “job well done” has tremendous positive impact not only on the recipient but on a staff as well. In fact Gallup says recognition not only motivates, but increases productivity and helps set the bar for future performance.

However all recognition is not created equal. Gallup says where the recognition comes from matters too.  They report employees placed the highest value on acknowledgement from top-tier leaders. Second was private recognition from an immediate supervisor or a peer. Next in importance were positive performance evaluations, and increased responsibilities that demonstrate trust.

Monetary rewards ranked fifth.

Turning fans into fanatics

When it comes to parlaying praise into partisanship, Srinivas Rao of UnmistakableCreative.com has a simple plan. Besides drawing public attention to the praise-worthy recipients, he likes to “overwhelm people with joy.”

“When people feel you’ve seen their humanity, they connect at a much deeper level to everything you’re up to in the world. Overwhelming people with joy turns fans into fanatics.”

Recognizing Others Sets You Apart and Makes You Unique

Writing in Inc.com, Likeable Leadership’s Dave Kerpin agrees and says, “…we all love praise and recognition. It motivates us and makes us feel valued and happy. So leaders should err on the side of over-recognizing. Kudos, thank-you notes, shout-outs at meetings, simple positivity and praise all lead to a happier, more positive culture which in turn leads to better performance and results.”

Meanwhile Forbes found that companies ranking in the top 20% for building a culture that embraced recognition, averaged 31% lower employee-generated turn-over rates.

But Gallup also notes that the criteria for recognition “should align with the purpose, brand and culture of the company.” And it should also inspire others.

The Flip Side of Recognition

While the benefits of recognition are clear, the unfortunate reality is that it’s not the norm. In fact, far more employees feel under-recognized or under-appreciated. The number is estimated to be as high as 2/3. In actuality, the number of employees who quit because they feel unappreciated is twice as high as those who regularly are acknowledged for their contributions.

Rick Franklin, founder of CEO of KCB Staffing agrees. He says under-appreciation and lack of recognition are the primary reasons good employees leave a company. But not receiving positive feedback for good work is only only one form of under-appreciation. Also included are broken promises, valid complaints not acted on, and reasonable suggestions that are ignored. Whether alone or combined, these can lead to a feeling of toxicity and “encourage a mass exodus” of high-quality, hard to replace employees.

“Recognizing” and Seizing an Opportunity

In using their own product – outdoor – to salute Cat Country 98-7, Lamar certainly checks Gallup’s four boxes of 1) purpose, 2) brand, 3) culture, and 4) inspiration.

This brings up a big thinking point for radio. That is, how will you use your brand, culture and purpose to recognize and inspire others?

Consider how a local business would respond to your unsolicited (and unexpected) congratulations for an achievement or anniversary.

Likewise, imagine the reaction from schools or organizations when you acknowledge a promotion or awards.

Or visualize how listeners will feel when you message them that you are celebrating with them for some station-related milestone of theirs.

All these could shared tens (hundreds? thousands?) of times over with listeners and potential listeners alike. That’s a big payoff for a minimal investment.

Radio: the Perfect Vehicle

Radio is an intimate medium that is delivered on a mass scale. As such it’s the ideal vehicle for recognizing accomplishments.

Considering the tangible and intangible rewards of recognition, your station is a powerhouse of goodwill. And opportunity.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Related:

Do More with Less by Empowering Your Superfans
The One Thing that will Make You a Better Coach or Manager

Wind Farm Photo by Kai Gradert on Unsplash