I am Yoshida, president of Yamada Shusei Ltd., a professional apparel garment repair group in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture.
In the 106th National High School Baseball Championship, Niigata Sangyo University High School, which represented Niigata Prefecture in the tournament for the first time, was eliminated in the second round. While I personally applaud the good performance of the ball players, as a manager it made me think about “the balance between evaluation and approval”.
Types of recognition include
(1) “existence recognition,” which recognizes the value of existence itself;
(2) “action recognition,” which recognizes specific actions and efforts;
(3) “growth recognition,” which recognizes the growth of the team and team members;
(4) “outcome recognition,” which recognizes specific results; and
(5) “process recognition,” which recognizes the process and efforts leading to results.
By incorporating a balance of these types of recognition, you can motivate your team and promote further growth. In addition, to achieve a “balance between evaluation and approval,” it is advisable to be aware of the following points.
1. set clear criteria
Clearly define the criteria for the evaluation so that employees understand what is expected of them. This will ensure that evaluations are fair and transparent and increase employee buy-in.
2. provide routine approvals
It is important to keep employees motivated by routinely recognizing small accomplishments and efforts, such as acknowledging progress on projects or contributions in day-to-day work.
3. improve the quality of feedback
Provide specific feedback during evaluations, clearly communicating areas for improvement and strengths. This will help employees understand their points of growth.
4. facilitate two-way communication
Respect employees' opinions and feelings through 1-on-1 meetings and regular feedback sessions. This helps employees feel valued.
5. evaluate processes as well as results
Recognize employees' efforts by evaluating not only results, but also efforts and processes. And by continuing to do so, you can foster a culture that encourages employees to take on challenges without fear of failure.
6. recognize the entire team
Recognizing the achievements and efforts of not only individual employees but also the team as a whole can enhance the team's sense of unity.
By being aware of these points, you can strike a “balance between recognition and approval” and improve the performance and satisfaction of your team members.
