Recognition Fuels Empowerment: How Employee Recognition Reinforces Performance & Creates Motivation.

Empowerment was recently listed as jargon that business people (read: Management) should refrain from saying. The article states that jargon covers up the real meaning. This frequently misapplied term speaks to the approach of “You are now empowered - act accordingly”. Just as leaders can’t demand long term motivation and performance, employees can’t be directed or ordered into empowerment. Instead employee recognition serves to reinforce performance and motivate employees by tapping into their intrinsic values. Employee recognition, like empowerment also has potential to be misinterpreted and misused by a leader. Performance feedback and recognition that applies specific characteristics can create an environment of empowerment. In this webinar, a model of employee empowerment is discussed to separate the jaded jargon from scientific study. True employee empowerment consists of four components: autonomy, competence, impact, and meaning – all things that employees crave, but don’t ask for. Each component will be discussed and related to the bigger picture as well as related to employee recognition. Similarly recognition should include the aspects that instill autonomy, competence, impact and meaning, yet are left out. Attendees will learn what kinds of recognition directly lead to empowerment through correct messaging. Employee empowerment and the individual components within the model are associated with intrinsic motivation and performance,which informal employee recognition can reinforce – and multiply. Attendees will walk away with a greater depth of knowledge about what employee empowerment truly is, what employee recognition is, and how to recognize employees in such a manner that an environment of empowerment is established. By learning depth of employee empowerment and tactical recognition, attendees will learn how and why employee recognition drives motivation and performance.

HR Professionals and Managers operating in a collaborative, team-based, and/or project based work environment

1. What true employee empowerment is and the components within empowerment 2. What employee recognition is and Tactical structure of recognition 3. How informal recognition is related to empowerment and the effects on employees

Zhang, X., and Bartol, K. (2010). Linking empowering leadership and employee creativity: The influence of psychological empowerment, intrinsic motivation, and creative process engagement. Academy of Management Journal, 53, 107-128. Quinn, R. & Spreitzer, G. (1997). The road to empowerment: Seven questions every leader should consider. Organizational Dynamics, 37-49. Wilson, J. (2011). Freedom at work: Psychological empowerment and self-leadership. International Journal of Business and Public Administration, 8(1), 106-124 Spreitzer, G., Janasz, S., & Quinn, R. (1999). Empowered to lead: the role of psychological empowerment in leadership. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 20, 511-526. Herzberg, F. (1987). One more time: How do you motivate employees? Harvard Business Review, 5- 16.

		Josh Kuehler Internal Consistency View Profile