Even in tight times, great bosses find ways to let their top performers know they’re valued. But how do you do it when perks, promotions, bonuses and raises have been, shall we say, downsized? I had that discussion recently with a Poynter alum, a manager whose organization wants him to develop an incentive strategy for his team.
Let me share some of the ground I covered in that conversation about what today’s managers can do to keep their best people engaged and productive:
2. Tell ’em. Don’t wait until an annual review to let staffers know they’re pacesetters. Don’t assume the attractive assignments or autonomy you regularly afford them are message enough. Top performers are often their own worst critics and not as self-confident as you think. Tell them directly: “You’re a leader on this team.” “You set an example for everyone.” “I have great respect for your talent.” “I hope you know how valuable you are to us.”
3. Pay ’em. This one’s obvious. Lobby for these folks. Be prepared with every possible metric to prove to your bosses that if there’s any discretion in the budget for raises or promotions, these are the folks who deserve it. Make a business case for the value they add or the cost of potentially losing them. But make that case with facts, not just passion. What do your star players know, do, produce, save or innovate that makes them special?
4. Know their goals. Making a comfortable living is a universal goal. But at the same time, each of us has a unique array of needs and interests. Unless you know your people well, you won’t be effective in finding the right “stimulus program” to keep them engaged. Having regular conversations with them will keep you informed. Remember that their goals may change over time, so keep the lines of communication open.
5. Offer leadership opportunities. Serving on a task force or a committee, having a voice in policy development or change, being a mentor to new employees, serving as an in-house trainer — any or all may be incentives for some staffers. If you tap them for these things, let them know why and how they were selected, and make certain their leadership efforts are visible and valued in the organization.
6. Provide learning opportunities. Some folks just love to keep learning. Use your training budget, however modest, to reward your high achievers. Give them time off for professional development that matters to them.
7. Give “stretch” assignments. I love hearing people say “My bosses gave me a big project and I was scared stiff. I’d never tackled something like this before. But they believed in me — and I did it.” Sure, there’s a little risk in throwing people into deep water. But if you’re a great boss, you know the skills and talents of your staffers, you know the degree of difficulty of the stretch assignments, and you set them up to succeed.
8. Celebrate successes. What does your team or organization do to publicly pat people on the back? What types of awards, rewards or recognition are a part of your newsroom culture — and why do they matter? I know they still exist, and I encourage you to share yours in the “comments” section.
Incentives are a good thing — provided they’re handled with care. I’ll look at three ways they can backfire in today’s podcast “What Great Bosses Know about Incentives.”
Poynter’s “What Great Bosses Know” podcast is sponsored by The City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. Poynter’s leadership and management expert Jill Geisler shares practical information that’s valuable for bosses in newsrooms and everywhere. You can subscribe to this podcast via RSS or to any of our podcasts on iTunes U.
