Our lives at work and outside of work are not easily separated. I don’t know very many people who can truly “leave work at work.” To some extent, what … Read more
Driving Productivity: Should You Motivate With Fear or Appreciation?
Are you working harder because you’re scared for your job? Or could you potentially be even more productive if someone simply told you “thanks” for what … Read more
Should We Use Rewards to Entice Employees to Be Different?
A new book about innovation is structured around a central question, which the author (Michael Schrage) calls the Ask. The central question (and the title … Read more
A Dozen Great Books You Need in Your HR Management Library
Recently, I received an email from the Sudan asking me for my recommendations on Top 3 books in HR. I thought this was too good of an opportunity to pass … Read more
When Hero Worship Becomes a Workplace Problem
I’ve been contemplating the concept of what constitutes a hero lately. It’s hard not to do with the London Olympics and tragedies that have unfolded in the … Read more
3 Things We Can Learn From India About Employee Recognition
I recently had the opportunity to travel a bit in India. How excited I was to pick up a Times of India newspaper on my first full day in the country to … Read more
Going For the Gold Can Be Taxing to Your Workers, Too
As the Olympics come to an end, I’m proud of how many medals our American team is coming home with, but not quite as thrilled with the tax bill they’ll … Read more
Unintended Consequences: How Olympic Incentives Went Wrong
I’ve written before about the difference between recognition and incentives. This is an important distinction to understand, as is the distinction between … Read more
Workforce Insights: Do You Treat Employees Like Olympic Athletes?
What do the 2012 London Olympics and successful organizations have in common? The answer: talent, coaching and recognition. Just like top employees, … Read more
Inspiring People to Do Their Best: It Takes Rewarding Head and Heart
By Bob Vanourek and Gregg Vanourek There are two things people want more than sex and money — recognition and praise. — Mary Kay Ash, founder, Mary Kay … Read more