As we are all aware, one of the dangers of contests is that associates might sell a product only when there’s a contest going. This scenario happens infrequently, but it does happen. When we detect this behavior, we remind everyone that we need to focus on what’s best for the customer, not what’s best to win the contest.

If you’re not careful, a contest can sometimes drift into a non-hugging situation if the attitude prevails that there are only winners and losers. Therefore, when we introduce a new contest we always emphasize how the individual members all win by competing against their own goals and not one another. Our huggers usually seem to understand that.

One other interesting way to recognize people is to have the associates do some of the recognizing. I’ve heard of a people-friendly engineering consultant business where any associate who thinks a colleague has performed exceptionally can award a $50 bonus to the individual right on the spot, without higher approval. Hey, you can bet you’re going to like the guy in the next cubicle even better if he puts some extra cash in your pocket!

So try to find a way to pay your people well, and then some.

However, as you will see, we believe associates need a lot more than compensation to motivate them to remain loyal for life.

From HUG YOUR PEOPLE by Jack Mitchell. Copyright (c) 2008. To be published in March, 2008 by Hyperion. Available wherever books are sold. All Rights Reserved.

The above is an excerpt from the book Hug Your People by Jack Mitchell Published by Hyperion; March 2008;$19.95US/$23.50CAN; 978-1-4013-2237-3 Copyright © 2008 Jack Mitchell

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