Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Hello Leader. 

It only takes a moment to reflect on your team’s accomplishments and contributions from the past year; however, taking the time to recognize and acknowledge individuals and teams can dramatically impact team culture. Explore the opportunities below to celebrate outstanding work on campus.

Act Fast! 

This December, UI Organizational Effectiveness is offering a limited number of free seats to the popular workshop, Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue, for leaders called upon to help with or facilitate difficult discussions. If you are able to participate for both days, email now to get one of the few spots remaining! December 11 and 12, 8:30 – 4:30 p.m., 112 University Services Building, lunch provided.

Apply Now! 

Now accepting applications for the Spring 2025 Practical Applications of Supervisory Skills (PASS) Series cohort! Want to be a better boss? If you’re a new or aspiring supervisor, the PASS series is designed to help you improve your skills to help you lead yourself and your team. This nine-week engagement offers challenges to explore what you bring to the table as a leader and how you can leverage it to elevate your team.

Recognition Opportunities – I.O.W.A.s and More  

Winners of the Improving Our Workplace Award go beyond just being great employees, they demonstrate the positive impact an individual or team can make on their workplace, as well as on the experience of patients, customers, students, and other employees across campus. The I.O.W.A. focuses on four qualities:  Initiative, Innovation, Measurable Results and Sustaining Impact. Click for details and nomination form. Deadline is February 15, 2025.   

For additional ways to recognize your faculty, staff, employees, consider the following upcoming awards: 

Reward and Recognition, a service of University Human Resources/Organizational Effectiveness, provides consultation and resources to assist staff and their departments to provide an open and clear process to recognize staff efforts.

COACHES CORNER 

Studies show that where employees are given recognition for their contributions, engagement with the organization grows. We all want to do purpose-driven work in an environment of genuine care where what we do is noticed… but how can we help to create that environment? 

Some ideas to try from Forbes magazine contributor Steve Sonnenberg's article How Leaders Impact Employee Engagement: 

Make sure employees feel like individuals  

  • Tailor the recognition to the employee, not one-size-fits-all. Keeping the recognition genuine is more meaningful to the employee making the contribution   
  • Encourage employees’ pursuit of continual education and growth towards the goals and skills of interest to them where possible; support learning new skills and developing their role on the team 
     

Maintain a healthy culture 

  • Respect all employees – everyone bringing different ideas, styles, strengths, and opinions creates a better-equipped, multi-faceted team working in service of a common goal 
  • Striving for open and honest communication reinforces that all are part of the same team 
     

Value-driven work 

Ultimately, employees need to know why they do what they do and why it matters. In our work as leaders, we can make sure expectations are made clear from the start.  We can reinforce how and why each employee’s role contributes to the whole through one-on-ones and check-ins and making sure they see their role and why what they do matters to the team.