Want to make 90% of your team feel like losers?
Run an “Employee of the Month” program as your core strategy for recognizing great work.
It sounds harsh, but that’s what most leaders accidentally do when they build recognition systems that reward only one winner out of many contributors.
The science of behavior tells us that reinforcement works best when it’s:
- Frequent
- Specific
- Contingent on observable behavior
- Closely following the behavior, not months later
- Available to everyone
Here’s the problem with the Employee of the Month:
It’s exclusive…only one person “wins,” while others feel overlooked.
It’s vague…people don’t always know why someone won.
It’s slow…recognition is delayed by weeks or months.
Depending on context, it can be impersonal…often chosen by committee or management with little transparency.
Instead, try this:
- Praise behaviors in the moment.
- Make recognition specific—“Thanks for correcting that mistake in the report so quickly,” not just “Great job.”
- Democratize it. Everyone should have a chance to earn recognition every day.
- Keep it relationship-based. A few sincere words from a respected leader matters more than you think.
That’s what drives performance. Consistent, authentic, and behavior-based recognition.
