Recognition Fab Five

1. Timing is everything.
Recognize contributions as close to the time of achievement as possible. That's because time delays weaken the impact of most rewards, and your employee might make some wrong assumptions about your priorities.

2. Tailor the reward to the person.
Know your staff and recognize their uniqueness. What is good for one, is not necessarily good for another. Consider how you'd feel if you received a gift certificate to an ice cream shop when you've just started a diet!

3. Tie the recognition to the achievement.
To avoid generic praise, take the time to know and understand both the person and the achievement. Compliments that are too broad will come across as insincere; acknowledge what your employee did and why it was of value to both the department and Brown University.

4. Praise in person.
There will always be a time and a place for recognition via email or voice mail. However, the most effective forms of praise are delivered face to face because it shows that you have taken time out of your schedule to focus on your employee.

5. Make it positive.
Avoid blending constructive criticism with recognition by attaching words or phrases like "but" or "I wish you had" to the praise you pass along. They water down the recognition and render it almost meaningless. Save the "You did a great job on the report, but there were too many typos" for an appropriate time to deliver constructive feedback.