THE COACH’S CLIPBOARD

Don’t take people for granted.

Too often we come to expect that people will do their jobs because they are being paid for it and don’t need special recognition.

Mira supervised people in the loan-processing area of an auto dealership. Her staff handled the documents generated by the sales staff, which depended on fast, reliable service to close the deals.

Mira recognized that her job was to remind the sales staff to acknowledge the hard work the loan processors were doing. So one day, the salespeople took the processors out for a thank-you lunch. Not only was the food great, but the back room staff appreciated the acknowledgement of their hard work by the people up front.

THE PLAYBOOK

  • Acknowledge a job well done – at least verbally. A monetary reward (or tip, if you are a customer) may not be appropriate, but a “Thank you” and smile always are appreciated.
  • Think of small gifts and signs of appreciation you can give to those who provide you with a service. Don’t wait until the holidays.
  • Learn the names of those who provide your services. They know yours – do you know theirs?
  • Be specific in your praise, for example: “Thanks for staying late to process that paperwork. It made all the difference in getting the job done.”

From Rob’s book, Balanced Leadership in Unbalanced Times, www.robsleaders.com

PLEASE ADD YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT NOT TAKING PEOPLE FOR GRANTED