Motivating teams isn’t just a task for individual leaders—it’s a strategic priority for organisations, and it often comes up in the coaching conversations I have with clients. For the senior leadership team, ensuring that leaders and managers across the business are equipped to inspire and engage their teams is essential for long-term success. Yet, one of the most underestimated drivers of motivation is also one of the simplest: recognition.
Recognition isn’t just a feel-good gesture; it’s a cornerstone of organisational culture and performance. When done well, it reinforces desired behaviours, strengthens team connections, helps people connect to organisational values and mission, and this drives results. However, fostering a culture of meaningful recognition requires systemic support. There are different ways you can support your leaders and managers to use recognition as a powerful motivator.
1. Emphasise Timely Recognition
Recognition loses its impact when delayed. Encourage managers to act quickly when team members exceed expectations. Whether it’s a simple “thank you” or a formal acknowledgement, prompt recognition ties appreciation to the effort, making it more powerful and memorable. Senior leaders can set the tone by highlighting success stories during company updates or all-hands meetings.
2. Teach Leaders to Tailor Recognition
Motivation is personal, and recognition is no exception. While some employees enjoy public praise, others may prefer a private acknowledgement. Equip leaders with tools and insights, such as employee preference surveys or coaching, to help them recognise individuals in ways that resonate. By modelling this approach, organisations can create a culture where everyone feels valued in their own way.
3. Be specific
Generic praise, like “Good job,” is often counterproductive. It lacks depth and fails to reinforce the specific behaviours that contribute to success. Support your leaders to deliver precise feedback, such as:
“Your quick turnaround on the project proposal was exceptional. The level of detail you included helped secure the client’s confidence and positioned us as a strategic partner.”
Detailed feedback shows genuine appreciation, reinforces key competencies, and motivates employees to replicate the behaviour.
4. Link Recognition to Purpose and Values
Recognition becomes far more meaningful when it’s tied to the organisation’s purpose, mission, or values. Some HR leaders develop frameworks or templates to help managers connect individual contributions to the bigger picture. For example:
“Your innovative approach to solving the supply chain issue perfectly reflects our value of agility, ensuring we meet customer needs without disruption.”
Putting it in context amplifies the impact of recognition and helps employees see their role as an important part of the company’s success.
5. Cultivate Peer Recognition
Recognition shouldn’t come solely from leadership. Encourage peer-to-peer recognition in a way that fits with the company culture, whether that’s on something like a digital recognition platform, or team-led celebrations. Modelling this behaviour from the top reinforces its importance and helps embed it into the culture.
Action Steps:
To embed a recognition-rich culture, organisational leaders need to prioritise three things:
- Provide Training and Resources: Equip managers with tools to recognise effectively, from structured feedback frameworks to workshops on emotional intelligence.
- Monitor and Measure Impact: Use employee engagement surveys to assess whether recognition is making a difference and where gaps remain.
- Lead by Example: Senior leaders must consistently model the behaviour they want to see. A CEO who openly recognises teams for their contributions sends a powerful signal across the organisation.
Motivation isn’t a one-time initiative; it’s a sustained effort built on a foundation of trust, recognition, and shared purpose. If you prioritise recognition as a strategic tool, you can ensure your managers are not just managing teams but motivating them to achieve greatness.
Lucy Chaplin PCC
Lucy works with leaders, managers and emerging talent, helping them be more strategic, resilient, and confident, always with a focus on how they can maximise their potential, performance and impact. This helps leaders develop their executive presence, hone their strategic thinking, build better professional and personal relationships, and reduce stress and overwhelm.
She enables people to lead from a place of self-awareness to build vision, clarity, and growth in their teams.
As a Professional Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation she has expertise in working with both neurotypical and ADHD leaders to enhance impact at all levels, senior, mid-level, and junior. Lucy has supported numerous clients all over the world in a variety of sectors ranging from technology, retail, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, government, and financial services. She offers coaching and workshops to companies.
You can find out more about Lucy’s coaching here, and book a free call with her here.
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