Should We Reward Results?

So many conversations about incentives and performance improvement seem to focus on the award and the end result.  Most people want to structure the incentive so the participant earns the award at the end of a long chain of behaviors.  While we all can understand that no one wants to pay out an award if an objective isn't met the process is just as important.

I've posted before on the need to look at the behaviors that lead up to the results not just the results themselves.  I believe a well designed program should not only provide a reward for the outcome but also motivate people to take the little steps.  Smaller steps are easier to communicate and train and provide more immediate rewards.  Breaking the process down also allows you to find the weakest link.  If there is one step in the chain that seems to be missed the most you now have a target for training and further incentives.

This post on the senia.com Positive Pschology Coaching blog had a great quote from Gregory Burns, author of Satisfaction.

"satisfaction comes less from the attainment of a goal and more in what you must do to get there."

Would programs be more effective is we worried  more about rewarding all the steps and none of the results?  Just something to make you go hmmmmmm.

Comments

[Ann Bares]

I would agree that it is important to reinforce the progress employees make toward goal accomplishment - and sometimes this can be done as effectively with good measurement/scorecarding practices (and communication of these measures/scorecards) as with any type of interim financial rewards. You made this point yourself in your earlier post on "Just Being #1".

http://incentive-intelligence.typepad.com/incentive_intelligence/2007/01/just_being_1_ma.html