An Unexpected Recognition Technique

People who feel sincerely recognized want to experience that kind of recognition again. They will do what is required to get it.

To see how simple this really is, the next time you see a colleague with great posture, mention it and watch as they immediately stand even a little taller.

Hospitality entrepreneur Chip Conley has written about the value of including above-and-beyond stories at every executive leadership meeting.

One story was that of a bellman carrying luggage up six flights of stairs with a smile, for five hours during an elevator outage. A leader from a different division volunteered to call the employee after the meeting.

“At the executive committee meeting today, I heard about you climbing stairs with a smile throughout the elevator outage. That’s impressive. Thank you”

Having a leader from a different division accomplish the recognition impacts the organization on many levels:

1. The bellman felt appreciated by the recognition.

2. The story circulated, and other bell staff felt pride for their team.

3. Staff members thought well of the leader who took time out to make a call to someone outside of their division.

4. The leader remembered to mention the stair climbing at his own division meeting, thus reinforcing the value of contributing to a positive culture.

What behaviors would you like to encourage for better patient experiences? Look for stories, share the stories, and ask leaders to volunteer to reach out and recognize those who make the stories possible.

That personal yet unexpected recognition will anchor the importance of the contribution and ensure you’ll have plenty of above-and-beyond caring actions and stories in the future.

If you have any tips for unexpected recognition, send them my way!

Your kindness makes a difference every day,

Susan