To help train my new puppy, I bought a bag of training treats. The bag had 500 pieces of bacon-flavored goodness to reward her compliance with my simple commands. The treats are no bigger than a Tic-Tac, but they serve the purpose well.
As puppy owners, we know we will need many treats during the process before the puppy understands the expectations without incentives. But as supervisors, we act as if a metaphorical bag of just a couple of treats will do — not only for training, but in some cases, for the length of the person’s employment.
Recognition doesn’t have to be lofty. Create an equivalent bag of training treats and dole them out frequently. Even if your new employee is a rockstar, people like to be acknowledged as a “good girl (or boy).”
