Devoted to customer service and the principles of exceptional customer services

Dave Timmons is a great friend of mine, and I'm glad you enjoyed his presentation and his tips!

Here's one of mine - When you See It, Say It!

When you see an employee doing something terrific, stop right where you are and tell them. Or when you think to yourself, "Maria is really great at XYZ" - don't just think it. Walk over to Maria's desk or pick up the phone and tell her.

Be real specific with your praise - and when you see it (or think it) say it. You'll make someone's day - and they may just stand up a little straighter and do an even better job.

Hi Donna,

You're absolutely right! It's very important to recognize employees right away. As a manager or supervisor, it shows that you are paying attention to them and you do appreciate their work!

Actually, what will improve sales associate morale at my Macy's is being treated like adults. Listen to our suggestions about how to operate more efficiently -- especially now that there are only two full timers for each department. And skip the silly hats and contests that primarily excite boys in the first rush of puberty. But yes, do notice what we do well. And keep the contests that reward us for being observant, connected and somewhat humerous about being in the store.

Wow, those are the 5 most ridiculous things I have every read in my 10 years managing people. Unless of course this is for a team working at McDonald's. It is obvious the author knows nothing about morale or how to inspire people. Not to mention, several of those examples qualify as harassment in the workplace.

Looking back now, I was extremely harsh in my observation and I greatly apologize for being so unprofessional... and kudos to Ms Palma for taking the high road.

I work in a very PC environment, so unfortunately, those recommendations are not readily accepted, although I do recognize the merit and benefit in various organizations.

As far as boosting morale, in my opinion, is much like school where we learned the three R's, reading, writing and arithmetic to become proficient, so must you do the same for morale. Except the three R's are Respect, Recognize and Reward.

If you ask any person what would motivate them, the first answer is probably "more money", but if you dig deeper that is not always true. People want respect in the workplace for the service they offer, they want recognition for their achievements, and they want a reward for those accomplishments. The phrase “more money” is just a quick phrase to say, “If I made more money, it means I’m worth more and respected”, “if I make more money, it means I’m being recognized for what I do”, and “If I make more money, I am being rewarded for my accomplishments.”

I have bored everyone long enough. The challenge now to everyone is developing ways, as Ms Palma described, to achieve each of the three R’s.

While the "5 Ways to Boost Morale" author's heart seems to be in the right place, if my workplace adopted those suggestions I would start looking for a new job *the next day*. I'd feel I was being treated like a child. There are ways to boost morale, encourage joy, and promote creativity without resorting to preschool tactics like forcing (potentially shy) people to march around singing.

Good insights from everyone. A couple of things:

1. Knowing the author personally, I can assure you he knows more than most about inspiring others, and has a wealth of successful leadership experience. These ideas are 5 out of millions of thoughts he has shared - a small piece of a large pie.

2. I would also venture to say that the tactics used to keep morale high differ depending on the culture of your company. The ideas shared by Mr. Timmons have worked extremely well for companies like Southwest Airlines, Ben & Jerry's, and others. Other tactics are best for other types of companies. Know your culture, know your employees, and recognize, reward, and "boost" accordingly.

Warmly,
Donna Cutting
aka Gal Morale

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