Reward performance
When you have finally achieved your goal of a company
united around a common vision and a set of core values, your
job hasn’t ended. When you arrive at your goal, your job as a
CEO shifts to maintenance.
Walsh says you must keep your employees focused on the
company’s goals, which is a constant task. If you aren’t vigilant
about correcting those who veer off course and celebrating
those who set good examples, your new culture will quickly
start to erode.
She says it boils down to one word: recognition. You must
recognize what your employees are doing and acknowledge
their contributions to making your vision a reality.
One of the best ways to recognize an employee is to do it in
person. Walsh says it doesn’t have to be a spectacle. You don’t
have to gather your managers around a person’s desk and sing
a song like the waiters who bring out the slice of birthday cake
at your favorite family-style restaurant. Sometimes, it can be as
simple as a written note. But you can’t wait weeks until a block
of time opens in your schedule.
Walsh says recognition is a dish best served fresh.
“When I was working in a hospital with less direct responsibility, I was a firm believer in personal notes,” she says. “I
would send a number of personal notes to employees every
week. I can remember going to an employee’s office about a
year later after I had left the hospital and saw one of the notes
I had sent still on their bookshelf.
“I don’t know if I do (recognize people) often enough. I know
our lives are very, very busy, and we don’t, as leaders, always
take the time to step back and recognize the individuals who
are making a difference. But when someone sees a note you’ve
written, it sends a message that you know recognition is important. Everyone likes to be recognized for what they do, and I
think, oftentimes, we underestimate the value of just one-onone telling someone you appreciate what they’ve done.” <<
HOW TO REACH: HCA Gulf Coast Division, www.hcahouston.com