Celebrating Employee Achievements

🔻 “Just Say No.” Three words that sound like power, but land like punishment... Because for women, “No” isn’t just a decision, It’s a reputation risk, a relationship gamble, and an emotional weight we carry long after the meeting ends. Women don’t lack the ability to say no. Women lack the permission to say it without consequences. 🧠 When women say no, we don’t just avoid a task. We spend the next 72 hours running mental spreadsheets: “Will I be seen as unhelpful?” “Did I just close a door?” “Will this show up in my performance review as ‘not a team player’?” Meanwhile, the system quietly does its thing: 👉 Women are asked 44% more often than men to take on the tasks no one wants. 👉 The ones that don’t lead to promotions, raises, or recognition. 👉 The “office housework” that keeps things running, and keeps us invisible. 🤔 Why does this keep happening? Because the system assumes women will say yes. Because we’re trained to value harmony over ambition. Because it’s easier for leaders to lean on “the reliable one” than to fix a broken distribution of labor. 🧾 So how do we actually break the cycle, not just in theory, but in Tuesday-at-4pm reality? 1. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿.    If it matters to the business, put it on the record. Add it to goals, KPIs, project charters. Recognition should be measurable, not just “thank you so much, you’re a star.”     2. 𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽.    Stop asking for “a volunteer” and watching the same women raise their hands. Rotate. Track. Make fairness the default, not convenience.     3. 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗹.    “No, not this time,” should not require an apology, a nervous smile, or a 7-line justification. A healthy team can absorb boundaries. A dysfunctional one punishes them.     4. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱, 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿.    If your team’s stability rests on the unpaid emotional and operational labor of a few women, that’s not high performance. That’s quiet exploitation dressed up as “she’s amazing, she just handles everything.”     And here’s the career truth no one puts in the leadership decks for women: 💥The more your value is tied to invisible labor, the harder it is to move. If you want a real career move in 2026, up, sideways, or outside of the company, you need your time back for high-impact work, not an endless stream of “can you just…?” 📆 On 26 November at 7:30pm Singapore time, Uma and I are hosting “𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 – 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.” We’ll get practical about three things: What to say no to, what to double down on, and how to make sure the right people actually see the difference. 👇 Join us here: https://lnkd.in/gp2qU5yD 👊 Because your next promotion should not be built on unpaid, uncredited “yes.”

5 Uncomfortable Truths Most High-Achieving Women Spend Their Entire Careers Avoiding: 1.) Deflecting Compliments Hurts Your Career. For years, I was the queen of deflecting compliments—brushing off praise with "Oh, it was nothing" or redirecting it to others. I didn’t realize I was diminishing my value and reinforcing the idea that my contributions were not worth celebrating. This habit cost me visibility and career advancement. 2.) Your Achievements Won't Speak for Themselves. Here's why it takes women so long to learn this truth: 1️⃣ Belief 1: Good work alone should be enough. 2️⃣ Belief 2: Self-promotion feels like bragging. 3️⃣ Belief 3: Staying humble will make me more likable. Avoid this trap: Recognize that sharing your success is not arrogance; it’s accurately representing your value. 3.) Staying Silent Costs You Opportunities. Think of every opportunity you've missed because you didn’t speak up. I stayed quiet about a project that saved millions, assuming my work would speak for itself. It didn’t. A male colleague, who contributed far less but wasn’t shy about promoting his role, received the recognition—and the promotion. Face it: Silence doesn’t serve you. If you don’t promote yourself, someone else will—and they might not tell your story how it deserves to be told. 4.) You Can Be Liked and Respected, but Respect is Non-Negotiable. ✅ If you confidently own your achievements, you’ll be seen as a leader. ✅ If you continue deflecting compliments, you’ll remain invisible. ✅ If you stay silent, you’ll reinforce the status quo that women’s contributions are less valuable. Choose wisely: Would you rather be liked for your silence or respected for your contributions? 5.) Women Often Play Small, But the World Needs You to Play Big. Most people think modesty will open doors, but in reality, it’s flipped: owning your awesome is the key to unlocking new opportunities. Actions tell your story, so start making yours count by confidently representing your value.

When people feel genuinely appreciated, they’ll go above and beyond 🙏🏾

 It’s not rocket science, when you value your team, they start seeing their work as meaningful, and they’ll give you way more than just what’s expected. 

It’s a simple formula: look after your people, and they’ll look after your customers, which will, in turn, look after your business.
 Here’s how to make that happen, step by step:
 1. Show Real Appreciation: Don’t wait for the annual review to recognise someone’s hard work. Make it a habit to acknowledge wins, big or small. A simple “thank you,” a shoutout in a meeting, or a quick message goes a long way in showing that you see their effort.
 2. Give People Autonomy: Trust your team to do the job you hired them for. Micromanaging makes people feel undervalued, but giving them the freedom to make decisions shows you trust their abilities. When people feel trusted, they take more ownership and pride in their work.
 3. Invest in Their Growth: If you want your team to see their work as valuable, invest in them. Offer training, mentorship, or opportunities to take on new challenges. When you help your people grow, they’ll bring that extra value back to your business.
 4. Create a Culture of Respect: Encourage open communication where everyone feels heard. When your team knows their ideas and feedback are valued, they’ll feel like a key part of the bigger picture—and that motivates them to give their best.
 5. Recognise the Impact of Their Work: Connect the dots for your team—show them how their efforts contribute to the success of the business. When people can see the real-world impact of what they’re doing, it turns everyday tasks into something more meaningful.
 6. Support Work-Life Balance: A healthy, happy team is a productive one. Encourage your employees to take breaks, use their holidays, and maintain a good work-life balance. When people feel supported in managing their lives outside of work, they’re more energised and focused when they’re on the job.

 7. Celebrate Wins as a Team: When something goes right, celebrate it! Whether it’s hitting a major milestone or wrapping up a tough project, recognising the team’s collective effort builds a sense of community and makes everyone feel appreciated.
 When your team feels valued, they’ll go the extra mile without being asked. 

Happy employees create happy customers, and happy customers drive business growth. 

So, take care of your team—they’re your greatest asset, and the returns will be massive. ♻️Eric Partaker

I speak with a lot of people about gender equality. Sometimes people ask if “things are better for …. women who’ve made it to the top, the next-generation women who grew up thinking they could be anything, women with elite credentials, etc." Unfortunately, research mostly shows that the answer is “no”--gender inequality is at play at every level of organizational life, from early career to the C-suite. For example, I listened to a very interesting webinar hosted by Russell Reynolds Associates about their research study: Time to Tell a Different Story. They used media as a proxy for public sentiments about CEOs and tracked 20,000 news articles, covering almost 750 CEOs across FTSE 100, S&P 500, and Euronext 100 companies. What they discovered is that, even at the CEO level, patterns of language describing and telling the story of women differs from those for men. Here is one pattern from their study: The media tend to use very different adjectives to describe women CEOs versus their male equivalents. Based on the proportion of mentions across media, men were twice as likely to be described as ‘innovators,’ whereas women were 72% more likely to be described as ‘inspirational.’   Research at the Stanford VMware Women's Leadership Innovation Lab also showed gendered, and often disadvantaging, language patterns in performance reviews. (https://lnkd.in/gG2zy8vX) So, it’s not just the media. These patterns reflect societal norms and can lead to disparate outcomes for strong performing women. What can you do? First, you can catch gendered language patterns. Here are a few: 1️⃣ Using more people-oriented skills for women and more task-oriented for men (see RRA research) 2️⃣ Using more doubt-casting language, such as “seems to” or “managed to”. For example, instead of saying “They produced outstanding results” using “They seemed to produce outstanding results. (Do a doubt-check. See this post I wrote: https://lnkd.in/g_655tc2) 3️⃣ Using or not using stand-out language. Notice if your industry or role has some terms that indicate stand-out impact. Then notice if you only use those words to describe certain kinds of people. 💡 🌟 Once you catch these patterns, then you can find ways to remove doubt, equally use task-oriented and people-oriented descriptors and try stand-out language for all top performers. While language often reflects societal norms and stereotypes, a strategic use of language can help set the conditions for folks to succeed. https://lnkd.in/gEJJRsXS #words #language #performancemanagement #media

Want to know Google’s secret to employee motivation? It’s so simple, any founder can start using it today: At Google, I’ve seen firsthand how recognition fuels engagement, collaboration, and retention. And surprisingly, it doesn’t take much—just a simple system called Peer Bonus. Here’s how it works: STEP 1 — Nomination Anyone can nominate a colleague for going beyond their core role. STEP 2 — Reward It comes with a small financial reward, but the real power is in public appreciation—managers, teams, and leadership see the impact. STEP 3 — Magic happens A ripple effect starts—when people feel valued, they contribute more. I’ve seen this in action countless times. A Googler helps another team solve a problem outside their immediate scope. Their contribution gets recognized with a peer bonus. Soon, others step up to do the same. Recognition becomes a habit, and collaboration follows. Why this matters (beyond Google): ✔ Motivation thrives on appreciation When people feel valued, they don’t wait to be told to go the extra mile, they just do it. ✔ Recognition builds culture No expensive perks required. Just a commitment to making great work visible. ✔ Startups can do this today No need for a formal system. A quick shoutout at a weekly meeting or a Slack highlight can have the same effect. 3 ways founders can build a culture of recognition: 1 — Start every meeting with a shoutout Take 2 minutes to acknowledge great work from the past week. It sets the tone for a culture of appreciation. 2 — Make recognition public Whether it's a Slack message, an email, or a team-wide announcement, make sure others see and celebrate contributions. 3 — Give specific feedback Don’t just say “Great job!” Be specific: “Avi helped us achieve X by doing Y. The total impact was Z.” Founders: How do you make sure your team feels seen and valued? #LifeAtGoogle

A Product Manager is nothing without the development team, who make the product vision a reality. Yet, as a PM, it's so easy to forget oneself and take all the glory for a release success. Here are 10 ways to ensure your team feels appreciated and recognized: 1) Celebrate Team Achievements Publicly Always acknowledge the team's hard work in company meetings, emails, or on social media. A public shout-out boosts morale and shows that you value their contributions. Perhaps invite a team member to join or replace you in a big presentation of a successful release. 2) Share Credit Generously When discussing successes, use "we" instead of "I". Highlight individual contributions and how they impacted the project's success. I often forget that even though I truly believe in every word of this post. 3) Provide Growth Opportunities Offer team members opportunities to learn new skills or take on new responsibilities. Investing in their growth shows you care about their professional development. Work with their team leader so everyone has a varied set of tasks to complete to make the work interesting. 4) Listen Actively Make time to hear your team's ideas and concerns. Active listening fosters a collaborative environment where everyone feels heard and valued. Never skip a retro! 5) Give Constructive Feedback Provide timely and constructive feedback that helps team members improve and grow. Be specific about what they did well and where they can enhance their skills. Remember to provide negative feedback privately. 6) Recognize Efforts Not Just Results Acknowledge the hard work and dedication, even if the project didn't turn out as expected. This encourages a culture of effort and resilience. 7) Foster a Positive Team Culture Encourage teamwork and camaraderie. Organize team-building activities or informal gatherings to strengthen relationships. It can be as trivial as taking lunch together. 8) Be Transparent Share information about your vision, company goals, and any changes. Transparency builds trust and shows respect for the team's role in the bigger picture. Be there corporate ally/ 9) Empower Decision-Making Allow team members to make decisions in their areas of expertise. This trust empowers them and increases their investment in the project's success. 10) Express Gratitude Personally A simple "thank you" can go a long way. Take the time to personally thank team members for their contributions. Name the success so it is not a lazy, generic gratitude. There you have it, my 10 tips to ensure your development team feels valued and appreciated. Do you agree with these suggestions? Which ones do you already practice? What's your number 11 advice? Share your thoughts in the comments! #productmanagement #productmanager #teamappreciation 📌 P.S. To become a great Product Manager who leads with appreciation, check out my courses at www.drbartpm.com :)

Dear Leaders, if 80% of people work harder when they feel more appreciated, it is not about whether you work on recognition, but how! Saying “thank you” doesn’t hurt you - but not saying “thank you” can hurt others. So, No brainer! Start asking yourself the following questions as a leader: 💡What does recognition mean for me (e.g. mainly monetary)? 💡 What do I usually recognize my people for (e.g. doing their job, over-performing, learning new skills)? 💡 My people might expect very different recognition elements: Have I ever asked what they need to feel appreciated? 💡 Does my company have a recognition program I can use elements from? And then take genuine and frequent action to build an environment of recognition: 1️⃣ Take the input from your team seriously and be as close to expectations as possible. 2️⃣ Recognize people based on specific results and behaviors - in 1:1 situations but more in the broader team. It helps appreciate the right behaviour and results more broadly. 3️⃣ Empower your people deliberately to then recognize their own decisions and ways of achieving results. 4️⃣ Recognize your people unexpectedly, it is more powerful. 5️⃣ Implement ways of top down (from your manager) and peer to peer recognition. 6️⃣ Make saying “thank you” a natural part of everyday work in the team an beyond. If you establish a culture of recognition, you will also affect people in a way that might be new to you: Recognition has a physiological impact on performance. Oxytocin is the well-known “love hormone.” Our bodies create Oxytocin when we feel loved or appreciated. #recognition #selfawareness #emotionalintelligence Image Justin Wright based on research by among others #greatplacetowork

I sent an email to a student and signed in Prof. Goldfarb. The reply to my email started “Dear Jillian.”   Benefit of the doubt here: maybe this student is just overly informal and takes liberties before being invited to call someone by their first name. It happens and usually it doesn’t bother me.   (Note: I am not an academic snob. My #PhD students call me by my first name when they enter my lab as I believe it helps them take ownership of the fact that they will soon be my colleague.)   Here’s what upset me, and what I hope we can all take away from this experience.   ALSO in the email the student refers to a male #faculty member by his title and last name.   Why not call him by his first name if you’re comfortable using mine? I doubt this was intentional. It is (I hope) a form of #implicitbias. But that doesn't take away the sting.   As a society we do this constantly.   We diminish the authority and power of #women by using their first names and dropping titles while simultaneously calling men by their last names and with titles.   At Cornell University upholding our founding principle of "... any person ... any study" is paramount. It is about recognizing that gender - just like race, religion, country of origin, sexuality, income level, etc. - are not distinguishing features among scholars. Diversity is the reason why we have a robust learning community. Inclusion (in this instance) is not making one person feel undervalued in that community because of their gender. I'm not a little girl at the lab bench waiting for instructions. I'm the equal of my male colleagues, and it's important that our communications show that we understand that.

Happy Employee Appreciation Week (EAW for short)! At Chase, we know that appreciation is more than just a yearly event—it’s a daily commitment. It means acknowledging the small, often unnoticed efforts that contribute to our success and expressing gratitude for the hard work that might not always be visible but is crucial to our achievements. In our fast-paced environment, recognition is essential. It fuels motivation, engagement, and a sense of belonging. As we kick off EAW this year, I want to highlight the importance of recognizing and valuing our incredible team members every day and share how I show appreciation – emojis and exclamation marks (and the occasional BOOM)! I love getting updates on achievements via email and use it as an opportunity to quickly thank our team and celebrate their success. Our jobs are hard! We’re breaking down big, complex challenges, at incredible scale and a positive and upbeat attitude supports and inspires people. I bring that to every interaction I have – particularly those that are in the thick of this work – as I know it inspires me when I experience the same. Here are some ways I do that: 1. Be Timely and Specific: Recognize achievements as they happen. Specific feedback is more impactful than generic praise (e.g., “You’re doing a great job” vs. sharing specifically what is great about the work that’s being done). 2. Personalize Your Approach: Understand what forms of recognition resonate with each team member. Tailor your appreciation to their preferences. Some folks prefer to be recognized privately vs. sharing praise in a big group setting and vice versa. I’ve also found some folks appreciate a written thank you more than saying it in a meeting. 3. Encourage Peer Recognition and Lead by Example: Foster a culture where colleagues appreciate and recognize each other by doing it yourself. Celebrate other peoples’ wins. Peer recognition can be incredibly powerful (and it helps boost morale and motivation, too). On that note, thank you to all my amazing Chase (and JPMorganChase) colleagues for your hard work, dedication, and passion. You inspire me every day, and I am grateful for everything you do. Let’s celebrate you this week and every week! 🎉 #EmployeeAppreciationWeek #Gratitude #Recognition

Too often, work goes unnoticed. But people want to be seen. A recent statistic had me thinking: 37% of employees claim that increased personal recognition would significantly enhance their work output. This insight comes from an O.C. Tanner survey, which leveraged 1.7 million responses from employees across various industries and company sizes. Beyond just feeling nice, recognition emerges as the most impactful driver of motivation. It makes real-time feedback, personal appreciation, and meaningful rewards not just nice-to-haves — they're must-haves to fuel performance. Here are concrete ways you can supercharge your recognition efforts to resonate deeply with your team: (1) Spotlight Specifics: Highlight specific achievements. Hilton’s Recognition Calendar equips managers with daily actionable ideas that turn recognizing real accomplishments into a routine practice. (2) Quick Kudos: Swift praise is so important. Timeliness in recognition makes it feel authentic and maintains high motivation levels. (3) Tailored Cheers: Personalize your appreciation. Crowe's "Recognize Alert" system enhances recognition by transforming client praises into celebratory moments, encouraging recipients to pay it forward. (4) Genuine Thank-Yous: Don't underestimate the power of small gestures. Regular acknowledgments, whether through handwritten notes or intranet shout-outs, create a culture where appreciation is commonplace. You do it, others will do it too. (5) Big Picture Praises: Connect individual achievements to the company’s larger mission. Texas Health Resources celebrates personal milestones with personalized yearbooks that link each person’s contributions to the organization’s goals. Using these practices genuinely and consistently can make every team member feel truly valued and more connected to the collective mission. Each act of recognition builds a stronger, more engaged team, poised to meet challenges and drive success. #Recognition #Appreciation #FeelingValued #Workplace #Culture #Innovation #HumanResources #Leadership Source: https://lnkd.in/e8jUtHZH