POSITIVE INFLUENCE

The term positive reinforcement has acquired some complex connotations over the past 30 years.In one sense the advocation and practice of positive reinforcement has ethical implications—it seems to embody humanism.The diligent delivery of duly earned recognition when an employee does something that adds value to an organization’s objectives feels like the right thing to do.The act seems to be an affirmation of the employee’s worth and value.

Organizational leaders are flooded with articles and advisors who proclaim the importance of creating a “Total Rewards,” company culture, and of having a “reward and recognition” strategy in place.Positive reinforcement, rewards, and recognition are given the status of “values,” and subsequently promote a patina of ethics—of goodness and good will to the business entity that supports these practices.

The world of work has been much safer in the past 10 years thanks in part to a process called “Behavior-Based Safety. ”We know that unsafe behavior is the root-cause of most accidents and injuries; behavior-based safety (BBS) specifically pinpoints the unsafe behaviors that lead to injuries and the safe behaviors that prevent injuries.

For instance, we know that lifting injuries are one of the most common injuries in the workplace. We are all guilty of unsafe lifting behavior at one time or another, and improper lifting technique will eventually lead to an injury. Unsafe lifting, like most unsafe behavior is caused by the natural reinforcement embedded in the behavior. Proper body positioning, putting on protective equipment, placing tools in the proper position—safe behavior usually takes more time, is more inconvenient, and more uncomfortable for the employee; it requires focus and attention.

For a manager or supervisor to effectively positively reinforce an employee, there must be a pre-existing positive relationship. A supervisor cannot approach an employee with whom they have had innumerable negative interactions and credibly say something positive about the employee’s performance. Suspicion, distrust, and disassociation prevent a positive comment from having the desired effect.

Shocked? How can the gospel according to your trainers, consultants, and incentive houses--be wrong? This is an outrage! Everybody knows that positive reinforcement works, that’s why American corporations spend several billion dollars a year on trophies, plaques, awards, cups, t-shirts, hats and pizza dinners—to positively reinforce, recognize, reward, celebrate, honor, and praise employees who outperform their peers.

That’s why millions of people Google phrases like, “best way positively reinforce employee,” or “how to recognize employees,” or “how recognize supervisor,” and so forth. Of course it works…everybody knows it works. Well I say it does not work—not in the way that it is being applied by thousands of companies world wide—not in the way it is being taught in books, workshops, and seminars.