From Ch. Two of How Full Is Your Bucket? Positive Strategies for Work & Life
Most of us will never endure the kind of psychological torture that the American prisoner of war suffered during the Korean War. Yet we all experience positive and negative interactions every day that influence how we feel and behave. Just because these interactions are commonplace and often undramatic doesn’t mean that they do not matter. They do. While most of our negative experiences will not kill us, they can slowly but surely erode our well-being and productivity. Fortunately, positive experiences or “bucket filling” can even be more powerful.
Bucket Filling in Organizations
Although bucket filling goes far beyond the concepts of “recognition” and “praise,” these are two critical components for creating positive emotions in organizations. In fact, we surveyed more than 4 million employees worldwide on this topic. Our latest analysis which includes more than 10,000 business units and more than 30 industries, has found that individuals who receive regular recognition and praise:
- increase their individual productivity
- increase engagement among their colleagues
- are more likely to stay with their organization
- receive higher loyalty and satisfaction scores from customers
- have better safety records and fewer accidents on the job
To put this into perspective, think about the greatest recognition you have ever received in the workplace. Chances are, it caused you to feel better about your organization and, in turn, become more productive. Great recognition and praise can immediately transform a workplace. And just one person can infuse positive emotions into an entire group by filling buckets more frequently. Studies show that organizational leaders who share positive emotions have work groups with a more positive mood enhanced job satisfaction, greater engagement, and improved group performance.
One CEO we know, Ken, claims that the bucket filling is his “secret weapon” as a leader. He has developed very targeted ways to increase positive emotions in the large organization that he runs. In Ken’s frequent travels around the globe, he always stops by his company’s local offices. And he doesn’t visit to “spy” on his employees or just to meet with upper management. Instead, his primary intent is to energize the people in each workplace.
Before arriving, Ken recalls successes and achievements he has heard over the past few months involving people in that office. As soon as he arrives, Ken casually visits with these individuals and congratulates them. He may offer kudos to an employee who recently got married or had a child or praise someone who gave a great presentation. His favorite line is: “I’ve been hearing a lot of good talk behind your back.”
The most enjoyable part of spreading positivity for Ken is to “watch the energy move through the network” once he sets it in motion. He realized that he could light up an entire workplace with a few brief – but very energizing – conversations.
“I discovered that bucket filling is an extraordinarily powerful leadership strategy,” Ken says. As a result of this approach, thousands looked to him for motivation and guidance.
NEXT UP: Killing Productivity