Sliced Carrots

My boss let me go home early on Tuesday! It was a lovely, sunshine-y day and the phone wasn't ringing.

"Get outta here," he said, "You've been working really hard around here, and you should go spend some time with your family."

What a great guy!

"But," he added, "I expect you to work a couple of hours this Saturday. Got it?"

What a jerk!
I'm still reading The Carrot Principle. In the book, the authors talk about recognition as a means to increase employee satisfaction and retention, and profits.

However, there is a slight caveat that they mention. Most managers are 'Expecters' - that is, they give rewards with strings attached. They may give you a nice little reward, on Tuesday, but they also expect you to work late on Friday (or come in on Saturday morning). It's manipulation, not recognition.

And, it smacks of legalism and a wrong view of grace. It's giving with ulterior motives.

The other type of manager is the 'Altruistic' manager. They genuinely care about their employees, not just the bottom line. They get to know their employees, and want them to do well in their private lives and in their business lives. When these managers give rewards for attaining goals, they give without strings attached. The recognition is purposeful and given freely.

This kind of recognition is more like biblical grace. It is a gift freely given, and nothing else is required. It has a personal touch. It builds relationship and trust. It builds morale.

It should come as no surprise that when recognition of achievement is given altruistically, employee satisfaction goes through the roof (and profits go up, too), but when the same recognition comes piggy-backed on fear and manipulation, the employees see through it.

Take note! Grace changes the employee from the inside out, and produces a better company.


P.S. My brother mentioned a good example of this. The Altruistic manager says, "Thank you for doing such a wonderful job." The Expector says, "Thank you for doing such a wonderful job...keep it up!"

Whatcha think about that?