#1077 gold star

It has been said that what gets measured gets done.

How can you take this further and celebrate what gets done?

I have a FitBit fitness tracker, and by the mere measuring of my steps, I am far more likely to walk 10,000/day.  Oftentimes I make one final effort to get those last steps in so I hit the goal and get my smiley face.  

This week I received my Japan Badge, telling me I walked 1,869 miles in my (FitBit) lifetime, the length of Japan!  I did not know this was a milestone; I was not working explicitly toward it, yet it brought a smile that I had achieved it.  

It is the same technique as the gold stars in grade school; internal motivation is fine, but it is kickstarted by that motivation to get the external evidence.

What can you do to give some recognition when a goal is achieved -- either your own or by those in your organization?  Can you set some intervals, either randomly or logically chosen, where extra praise is given?  What is an equivalent to a Japan Badge that you could hand out?

Praise costs so little and means so much.  If you take the time to measure, make time to reward.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com