I share this story written by Clifford and Jerie Furness, as captured in a Chicken Soup for the Soul book:
WINNING
His mother told us the story the day after.
Kenneth was in junior high school and was excited and eager about participating in a day of Special Olympics events.
While his parents watched expectantly from the stands, he ran, and won, the first race.
He was proud of his ribbon and the cheers from the crowd.
He ran in the second race. Just at the finish line, when he again would have won, he stopped, then stepped off the track.
His parents gently questioned him, “Why did you do that, Kenneth? If you would have continued running, you would have won another race.”
Kenneth innocently replied, “But Mom, I already have a ribbon. Billy didn’t have a ribbon yet.”
As leaders, we have opportunity to be the focal point of attention more frequently than the employees who we support. Yes, those in direct patient care may be recognized by individual patients on occasion. In our leadership roles, however, we often get the credit for team accomplishments and/or share on behalf of staff with senior leaders or the community examples of the work developed or achieved by individual contributors. Can we agree there’s need to point attention in the direction of employees? Doing so will shine light on the value they bring to their work, their team, and the organization. And—bonus—may contribute to improved retention!
Try a few of these strategies:
Bring Them Along
As you make proposals for new services or new equipment, ask to bring along an employee who was instrumental in the collection of the data supporting the request. Find some way to involve them in the presentation, even if only a small portion.
Invite Senior Leadership to Celebrations
As you celebrate individual or team accomplishments, be intentional to invite members of Senior Leadership to the party.
Brag a Little
Make a deliberate point to bring to the attention of other leaders the specific contributions of members from your team. Encourage the leaders to acknowledge those individuals in a meaningful way—a card, a pat on the back, a shout-out at an employee forum. Make it easy for them to provide this recognition by putting it in writing for them.
Highlight at Huddle
During team huddles, create a routine like “Thankful Thursdays,” where you call out great service or efforts made by specific individuals over the past week. Or, if you send a weekly team communication, consider adding a section for team member shout-outs offered by patients, coworkers, yourself, or others.
Draw from the Jar of Thanks
Create a jar filled with slips of paper, each containing the name of someone on the team. At each staff meeting, draw a name from the jar and have each person present at the table say one thing they appreciate about that coworker.
Defer to Their Expertise
The next time someone comes to seek your advice, consider who among your team may have as much (if not more) knowledge than you on the subject. Manage up that employee and encourage the requestor to meet with that employee for support. This is a great way to foster connection among your team and build mentorship.
Build Them Up
One of the number one priorities of leadership is growing others. Often the best future leaders for your organization are not out there to be recruited but are already part of your team. Look at your informal leaders and be deliberate in mentoring the skills of one or two individuals who show promise and potential for future greatness in leadership.
Share the Credit
One of the cardinal sins is taking credit for someone else’s work, even if done inadvertently or unintentionally. If employees helped in any way to the decision or outcome of a process or project, be sure each is rightfully named. Be watchful of when you say “I” instead of “we” as a clue to when you might be misperceived as taking credit, even if not your intent.
Keep in mind the recognition preferences of each person but do find meaningful ways to shed light on each person’s strengths and efforts. A little light goes a long way towards feeling truly appreciated and valued. What’s in it for you, you ask? The great thing is that when you share the light with others, it reflects even more brightly on you!
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“A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame, and a little less than his share of the credit.” – John C Maxwell
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Explore these workshops and programs offered by our RWHC Education Team to improve your skills of Sharing the Light:
- At the Heart of the Matter: Engaging Your Workforce
- Communication: Connecting with Intention & Respect
- Walk the Talk: Leadership Accountability
To learn more, visit: https://www.rwhc.com/Services/Educational-Services/Leadership-Series or email me at csearles@rwhc.com.
Consider joining our Leadership Bites program: https://www.rwhc.com/Services/Educational-Services/Leadership-Bites
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Corrie Searles, MPT, Leadership Development Educator
In Corrie’s role as Leadership Development Educator at the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC), her aim is to empower leaders—formal and informal—to create positive influence that enables others to serve well.
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