Mike Foley was a physicist of great talent. He had a string of qualifications to his name and had conducted world-renowned research in his post-graduate studies. He was now working on ground-breaking product ideas for the electronics industry and, although he enjoyed the company of his co-workers, he found it difficult to understand the quirks of their day-to-day working practices. For example, he had all the recognition he could ask for and it was spelled out on his business card "Mike Foley MSc PhD" but his colleagues seemed to need appreciation from each other.

Traditionally difficult to manage, artistic and scientific creative types can be quite cynical of people who do not understand their craft. Care needs to be taken when identifying their best work if you want to single them out for recognition. Don't just talk to their manager about the good work they have done, talk to their colleagues too; they may have a better idea of how to put their work in perspective.

Experts

Let's face it, calling someone an expert in the first place is a great piece of motivation. It is recognition that they are held in high esteem by their peers and that their opinion is considered to be the best available. However being an expert can also be a reason for being left out of the formal recognition process.

The argument goes something like "If you're an expert, surely you are as good as you can get?" The reality is, of course, different. Experts tend to be only experts in one field. They may have flaws in the way that they operate within the organization. Experts are sometimes loners who find it hard to integrate into teams and may find it difficult to appreciate problems that others are going through.

For these people, recognition that they are contributing beyond the realms of their expertise can carry greater feel-good factor for them. They may have been congratulated so often for the use of their expertise that another trophy for this may not carry the same degree of motivation.

The Avoiders

There is a group of people who, for their own reasons, will shy away from recognition. These are the "avoiders"; a diverse selection of characters whose personality or psychology drives them to dodge praise. As an employer, you may find it difficult to have them accept recognition; however this does not mean that you should leave them out altogether.

Work with these people to find a way of recognizing their success that will have a degree of respect for their shyness. So, no grand ceremonies for them but a low-key presentation in their comfort-zone will probably be more appropriate.

One day Mike Foley was approached by the CEO who took great interest in his latest work and discussed product ideas for the future. Before he left, the CEO thanked Mike for integrating so well into the team, saying "Your colleagues really admire you, Mike." Then Mike Foley began to understand the quirk of recognition.