Category: recognition

leadership dot #5065: good girl

October 6, 2026October 5, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

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).”

leadership dot #5032: engraved

August 19, 2026August 17, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

While some people like the public and permanent nature of plaques and trophies, I have never been one to value them. And apparently, I’m not the only one.

Our thrift store has a whole shelf of donated trophies. I donated a stack of wooden plaque backings (and recycled the engraved metal fronts) from plaques that no longer had meaning. I imagine the landfills are full of more of them, plus medals, ribbons, and other awards. And as participation trophies proliferate, I suspect that the fixtures lose significance more quickly than hard-earned recognition.

Personalized acknowledgments have far more value than generic plaques or statues. Instead of adding to the clutter, take the time to provide meaningful recognition. I’ve been preaching this forever (see dot #4!!), but the small tokens that show you know someone have a far greater impact than anything engraved.

leadership dot #2767a: where

April 25, 2026April 18, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

For a simple warm-up icebreaker, I asked the participants where they would choose to have a gift card from if given one for free. It proved to be a great way to learn something about others in a quick and easy format.

Examples of answers included “DSW – because I’m a shoe nut – it would always be for shoes;” “Aldi – because we’re trying to pay down our debt and then I could use my grocery money to do that;” and “Best Buy – because I’m a techie and like the latest gadgets.” You could definitely get a sense of personality in a light-hearted way.

The next time you’re looking for an opening question for a group, toss out the gift card query. (And if it’s your group, take note of recognition opportunities for the future!) From where would you want yours?

Originally published in modified form on January 20, 2020

leadership dot #4863: drummer

February 10, 2026February 9, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I’m a regular attendee at the local college’s band concerts and find myself mesmerized by the drummer. While not because of the drum music itself, the drummer is always so animated and passionate that he draws me in and becomes the focus of my attention.

I happened to run into this student in another setting and immediately recognized him. I shared a few words of praise and let him know that I always noticed his enthusiasm. He was so appreciative of my comments and of someone recognizing his devotion. Even though it was a two-sentence exchange, it meant something to him. We have seen each other in other settings, and there is a nod of recognition each time, reinforcing that he has a fan.

So much of our output goes unacknowledged by others. He plays his heart out on stage without applause solely for him. I write dots with little to no feedback. It’s assumed that people will handle projects at work as part of their responsibilities, with no commentary provided.

If you have occasion to provide an unsolicited, genuine piece of praise or compliment, please do so. You can’t beat it as a morale-booster.

leadership dot #4839: showcase

January 17, 2026January 16, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

It helps build a sense of history and belonging when an organization can share the accomplishments of past members.

Many libraries feature a section of local authors. Colleges often highlight the awards or publications of their faculty. Businesses may showcase the patents or innovations of their designers. Athletic facilities create hall of fames. Galleries add works by regional artists to their permanent collections.

In a unique twist, Notre Dame University curated a collection of alumni products by featuring a display of wines that are “part of the Notre Dame family.”

Consider whether your organization could recognize a group of members, leaders, or even customers with a display that highlights their contributions to your legacy. Doing so may inspire the next generation to contribute.

leadership dot #4824: unheralded

December 17, 2025December 16, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

In the book Who is Government?, brilliant author Michael Lewis and six others share stories about individuals working within the federal system. Each essay profiles a different person, someone whose title may lead you to believe they are a worthless bureaucrat, but after reading the stories, you will undoubtedly feel otherwise.

Lewis and collaborators share the story of someone at the Bureau of Mines who took the initiative to save hundreds of lives by inventing a new support system for mine roofs. There are stories of an employee at the National Archives working to make government records more accessible, of others creating an integrated medical records system for rare disease cures, of an antitrust prosecutor at the Department of Justice, and of someone inspiring excellence and care in the National Cemeteries.

All of these people have benefitted the nation, but mostly are unheralded and work without fanfare. Lewis’s book brings them all to life and shines a light on their contributions.

The book is an enjoyable read and also an inspiration to ferret out unrecognized heroes in your organization. Who are the people behind the scenes in roles that you may not understand, but that provide essential value to the organization or beyond? It’s time to go beyond the titles and tell the untold story.

leadership dot #4782: builders

November 5, 2025November 4, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

It’s rare that when you enter a building, you know who actually built it. The name of the architect or contractor may appear on a plaque, but the people behind those firms rarely receive any recognition. Not so at the Gateway Arch.

The Arch was such an engineering marvel and complicated structure to erect that they created a wall-sized tribute to those behind the scenes — listing 11 by name. They didn’t stop there: the builders were also invited to participate in the Arch’s anniversary celebrations. Nine of them were able to return last month for the 60th Anniversary, and told stories, signed autographs, and took pictures with fans! How fun for everyone!

When you think of your next big project, remember to acknowledge those who make it possible. Not just by paying their bill or saying thank you at the conclusion, but also by finding ways to truly appreciate the contribution they have made. Without the builders, there is no building.

leadership dot #4775: unwavering

October 29, 2025October 28, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

As part of the celebration surrounding the university president’s inauguration, pictures of all the previous presidents were displayed in a gallery. The theme of the exhibit, “Stewards of our Story,” highlighted the contributions former leaders had made to the campus.

One picture stood out — not just because it was of the most recent past president — but because his portrait included his wife. The caption read: “Rev. Jeffrey F. Bullock, with gratitude for the leadership and vision brought to the University of Dubuque, alongside the unwavering support and partnership of Dana Bullock.”

I suspect that the other leaders also had “unwavering support” from someone, but it is indicative of Bullock’s collaborative and humble leadership style that he chose to acknowledge the key person who walked next to him throughout his 26 years at the helm.

Think about who is there to make your journey and successes possible and find ways to publicly recognize and appreciate them. No one leads alone.

leadership dot #4741: good catch

September 25, 2025September 24, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

In class, we read a case study about a hospital administrator who developed a program where employees were to report all mistakes so that processes could be improved and others could learn from them. While the intentions were good, the program wasn’t going so well, as people who complied with the initiative were receiving negative feedback from their colleagues and being chastised for reporting.

A student shared a similar program at their company, only instead of it being framed as “mistakes” or an “error report,” the program was called “Good Catch.” Rather than being shunned, employees were rewarded for pointing out errors or flaws in the process and received both recognition and points that could later be redeemed for prizes. Same idea as in the case, only much better execution.

If you’re fishing for candor and compliance, be sure you’re using the right bait (i.e.: language!).

leadership dot #4727: credit card

September 11, 2025September 11, 2025by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Today is the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. I remember them like it was yesterday, perhaps because I visited the 9/11 site while it was still smoldering, have been to the 9/11 Museum, and last summer, visited the memorial site at Shanksville, PA. All the images and artifacts sear into your brain and make the horror very real.

Shanksville played an important role in the investigation because it was a contained and unfiltered site. Unlike in New York or DC, where remains of the plane and its contents were mingled with thousands of other items from the buildings, the plane in Pennsylvania went down in an isolated field, allowing the FBI to know that everything they found was from the plane or a passenger.

And amid that pulverized debris, in the ashes of what was left from a jetliner crashing, upside down, at 550 miles an hour — was a credit card. Somehow, the card was sucked out of the plane’s cockpit before it exploded, and it fell to the ground mostly unscathed. That card happened to belong to a Mr. Ziad Jarrah, one of the hijackers. This discovery was a key piece of evidence that allowed investigators to follow the money and track the source of the heinous act.

Never forget 9/11 — or that little things can have a big impact.