Did you know that if goldfish are kept in the dark, their colour fades? This is because goldfish scales are made up of hundreds of photo-reactive cells that respond positively to sunshine and bright light. In fact, aquarium enthusiasts know that the easiest way to get vibrantly-coloured goldfish is to keep them under bright lights for at least a portion of each day.
Not entirely dissimilar to what occurs in the workplace if you’re a leader! If you want your employees to stand out and excel in what they do, then shine the spotlight on them. Take an interest in each of your staff members, both from a work and a personal viewpoint – get to know them at more than just a superficial level: who they are, what their work goals are, what their outside interests are. When you spend quality time getting to know – really know – your employees, you can easily find ways to highlight and showcase their talents. Encourage them to step outside their comfort zones and take on tasks or projects outside their immediate area of expertise. It plainly shows them that they matter. When they achieve success, celebrate by turning the limelight in their direction, praising generously and often. When things go awry, shine a different kind of laser focus – seek to find out what went wrong, but with the sole intention of helping them get better at what they do. When you illuminate your employees in bright lights, they will radiate excitement and enthusiasm, and glow with confidence and pride.
So, what are you doing to shine the spotlight on your employees? Please share with all of us by adding a Comment below.
2 Comments
Great topic, Merge. One comment: it’s very important to understand what the employee really wants when it comes to reward/recognition. I’ve run across several who do not want to be in the limelight, but they do want reward/recognition. Getting to know one’s team members is an important step in a leader’s ability to identify how each member would like his/her contribution to be rewarded/recognized. Good point, too, that we cannot just reward/recognize success, but that we must also lead our team members to improve when things go awry.
Shannon, great point, and I agree completely. Part of getting to know — really know — your employees is to understand whether they value public or private appreciation. And once you know, give them what they value the most! Thanks for highlighting that.