Send In The Clowns L.D. Firkins, DVM, MS, MBA College of Veterinary Medicine University of Illinois

Praise and Recognition Every behavior has a consequence Least powerful consequence Uncertain, in the future, and is negative Most powerful consequence Certain, immediate, and positive If want specific behaviors repeated, must make sure these behaviors meet with consequences that are certain, immediate, and positive

Praise and Recognition Less than 1/3 of people report that they frequently receive praise or recognition for good work Either they did something at a level of excellence and no one praised them for it Or, they havent performed at a level of excellence recently Neither of these things is good

Praise and Recognition Employees who do not feel adequately recognized are twice as likely to say they will leave the company in the next year Top vs bottom: 10% difference in productivity

Praise and Recognition Because of its power and low cost and rarity, this element is one of the greatest lost opportunities in the business world today Veterinary clinics score very poorly in this area

Praise and Recognition High performing teams 5.6 times more positive than negative comments Low-performing teams had 2.8 negative comments for every positive comment High scoring on praise are 2 ½ times more likely to feel paid appropriately

Praise and Recognition Praise isnt a reaction to a great performance; it is a cause of it

In the last 7 days, have you received recognition or praise for doing good work? In the last 7 days, have you given recognition of praise for doing good work?

Why 7 days? Praise actually affects the release of dopamine The brain craves a surge of dopamine We are addicted to dopamine This chemical is very-short lived At a purely chemical level, experiences that humans enjoy are the result of an explosion of dopamine

Recognition and Praise It gives you that drive to want to continue to achieve It makes employees want to repeat behavior that you need, if doing the right thing earns them recognition

Praise and Recognition Employees who dont get their dopamine fix in one place will look for it somewhere else One of the greatest lost opportunities in the business world today

Recognition and Praise Its a low cost element Taking the time Expressing your gratitude Speaking the words Public and not in public

Recognition and Praise It may be difficult to achieve Starting something that hasnt been done before Showing gratitude Thanking someone Accepting praise It may seem unnatural, both receiving and giving. Jealousy of others praise

Recognition and Praise People gravitate towards praise Many people empathize with people but not to the point of verbalizing it A No News is Good News policy of working with people is a poor policy Those that score highest on this are 2.5 times more likely to feel they are paid appropriately for their work