Why Recognition Can be Small

Sometimes you just read a sentence that sums up 1,000 words.  Here’s two that are worth 2,000...

"Sociologist Diane Vaughan calls this the normalization of deviance. When small, seemingly insignificant deviations from the norm, slowly but surely pile up until they change the organization’s culture."

That was inside a post on The Comparative Advantage Blog by Elad in a post titled: “Norm Maintenance Cost.”

The entire post is good – it talks about how talking care of the small things is what keeps a culture intact.

Too often we think recognition has to be big, bold and beautiful, full of pomp and circumstance, important VPs and banquets.

I’m not against that – it’s a nice touch.  But what really, really matters is how much you pay attention to the little things – the things that are easy to not notice.  Those are the things that eat up a company culture over time, one little behavior at a time.

And these are also the things that Managers should be paying attention to.  It’s not the big, big, big project that has all the Execs on Mahogony Row in a twitter – it’s the little things that managers see everyday that affect the culture.  There are more of them in total, and have more impact than that one big project. 

Don’t focus on the big, once in lifetime project for employee recognition.  Focus small.

Ignoring the small things– both negative and positive – affect your culture more than you think.

 

Comments

[Frank Roche]

Excellent point, Paul. It's the little things that add up. Elephant hunting is a long-term, low-possibility-for-success venture.

[Scott Crandall]

Paul --- Spot on. I believe culture is the accretion of ingrained habits, attitudes, and "taken for granted" actions and reactions, that form "who we are, how we think, what we do, and who we are."
It's definitely the day-in/day-out, moment-by-moment actions that both reflect and reinforce the culture. That's why it's virtually impossible to "change" the culture through events. Culture is less a tidal wave than it is the steady drip-drip-drip of everyday life. Unfortunately, management seldom has the patience to handle the "drips", but instead wants to make the dramatic "splash". The splash happens, the employees yawn ("been here before"), and go back to "dripping".
Yet the fact remains that cultures change from the top down, but how many managers have the patience to "live" the new habits, incessantly correct the old in favor of the new, and stand by for the glacial pace of change. Yet, like a glacier, the changed culture moves slowly, yet relentlessly, in the new direction. Not very dramatic, but definitely "real".

[Cori Curtis]

Amen! The grand events are fun and memorable, but they only happen once a year (if that) and don't provide the regular reinforcement that keep employees engaged in their work and satisfied with their company. If we could convince managers of the power of small thank yous, like handwritten notes and high fives, and get them to say thanks everyday, we could change corporate culture!

[Paul Hebert]

Elephant hunting is always more fun than catching mice. Thanks for commenting Frank - haven't seen you in a while around here - thought I'd done something to tick you off.

[Paul Hebert]

Thanks Scott... it seems endemic to our society that those that do the right thing regularly get less notice than the person who doesn't but does one thing spectacularly - I blame it on reality TV and the "super star" effect. That's a good post topic me thinks for the future.

[Paul Hebert]

Thanks Cori. I think, like most culture things, it starts at the top. If middle management isn't getting the daily/weekly/whatever affirmations, validations and recognition (no matter how small) they tend not to do it with their staff.

Seems like once the words Vice President goes on the business card - people skills go out the window. Go figure.

[Dana Searcy]

Thanks for the great post Paul! Well said. It works the same with each of us individually, it is the small consistent things that make up our personality. And ultimately, the little things we do everyday are what leads up to a big good or bad thing.

[Mike Young]

I have worked for both large and small companies and have attended reward ceremonies that were absolutely huge with bands, food; the whole deal. Alternatively I have enjoyed the simple "well done" from a manager at a small company. All in all, I would take the good old fashioned "pat on the back" any day of the week. It's honest, real and frankly, less wasteful of the company resources.